Attacking fifties from the top four, backed up by Glenn Maxwell’s frugal four-for on return helped Australia avoid a clean sweep as they got the better of India by 66 runs in the third and final ODI in Rajkot. India still took the series 2-1 having won the opening two games convincingly.Both sides made a host of changes – Australia five and India six – from the second ODI. Batting first on what looked like a placid Rajkot surface, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith and David Warner all scored fifties to propel Australia to 352 for 7.Related

• Maxwell a crucial piece to Australia's World Cup jigsaw puzzle

• Washington, Ashwin or Axar? This aside, India have most bases covered ahead of World Cup

In reply, Rohit Sharma bashed a 57-ball 81 while Virat Kohli scored a more sedate fifty, but the lower middle order failed to get going as India were bowled out for 286 in 49.4 overs.Australia, playing a near full-strength side, took charged up from the get-go. They raced to 90 for 1, with India conceding 11 fours and five sixes in the first ten overs. And it was Jasprit Bumrah they targeted, who had a game of two halves. He conceded 0 for 51 off his first five overs and 3 for 30 off his last five but seemed off the boil with his lengths overall.Marsh creamed the first ball he received from the fast bowler through covers before pummeling him for two fours and six in his second over. Warner took 16 runs off Mohammed Siraj’s second over before thumping Prasidh Krishna was for 19 off his first as Australia galloped to 50 in 6.1 overs.Warner soon notched up a half-century of his own, his third of the series, off 32 balls but failed to carry on. Trying to be a bit too adventurous, Warner pre-meditated a scoop to a Prasidh length ball on the stumps but could only get a bit of a glove and a top edge through to the wicketkeeper.Smith, coming on the back of a duck, was in his elements right away. He started off with a typical across-the-line wristy clip before dishing out a stunning cover drive against Prasidh.David Warner and Mitchell Marsh show some glove-love after giving Australia a rollicking start•BCCI

Spin was introduced in the tenth over but did not make much of a difference with both Marsh and Smith collecting boundaries at regular intervals. Marsh brought up his fifty off 45 balls before the heat started to take its toll even as Australia breached the 150-mark in the 22nd over.Bumrah’s second spell also proved expensive with Marsh laying into him. He hoicked the quick over deep backward square leg before crashing him for three successive fours. Smith and Marsh added 137 off 119 balls for the second wicket and when Australia screamed past 200 in 26.2 overs, 400 was on the cards.But India managed to pull things back well. Marsh, absolutely knackered by the heat, patted a Kuldeep wrong’un to cover to fall for 96. Soon after, Siraj pinned Smith right in front with a length ball that skidded through and missed his attempted flick. Bumrah returned to deceive Alex Carey with a slower offcutter and then rattled Maxwell’s off pole with a pinpoint yorker. And, when Cameron Green holed out to long-on, Australia had lost four wickets for 57 in 11 overs between the 32nd and 43rd.Labuschagne, however, kept his composure to keep Australia going. He smashed 72 off 58 balls with nine fours as Australia crossed 350 in the final over. Despite the tall score, India did manage to pull things back in the last part, conceding 122 runs in the last 20 overs and just 66 off the last ten.Rohit had a new opening partner in Washington Sundar and India’s chase got off to a flying start largely due to Rohit. The duo added 74 for the opening wicket in 65 balls, with Rohit’s contribution being 55 off 35.The pull worked the magic for the India captain on the day with the shot earning him 35 runs off just ten balls. Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were all dispatched to various locations over the on-side boundaries while the extra cover fence was also peppered more than once.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli added 70 for the second wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Rohit raced to his fifty off 31 balls with the help of three fours and five sixes. Ironically, it was a mistimed pull that got him to the landmark. Green purchased some extra bounce outside off with Rohit managing a top edge on a pull that ballooned straight up. But Starc running back from short third, failed to latch on to a tough catch.Washington was dismissed for a 30-ball 18 with Labuschagne taking a wonderful catch at wide long-off. Kohli then joined forces with Rohit and the duo added 70 off 61 balls to keep the chase on track.A stunning piece of reflex catch, however, sent Rohit back and Australia applied the choke thereafter. Rohit absolutely slapped a quickish length ball by backing away towards the bowler, who tried to take evasive action but also held out his right hand with the ball sticking.Post Rohit’s dismissal in the 21st over, Australia conceded just two fours and a six in the next ten overs. Kohli reached his 65th half-century in the format, but became Maxwell’s third victim when he top-edged a short-of-a-length ball to Smith at midwicket.Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul failed to find the boundaries as the required rate continued to creep up. Rahul was sent back by Starc while Suryakumar Yadav failed to repeat his second ODI heroics. And when Iyer was castled by Maxwell, the end was nigh.Ravindra Jadeja managed to get some batting practice enroute a 36-ball 35 before Green ended proceedings by taking out Siraj off the penultimate ball of the game. For Australia, each of the six bowlers picked up a wicket.

With declining interest, and the madness of the soccer calendar snatching away talent, competitive play may not be enough

Jeremy Antonisse took his time. After all, he had plenty of it. The Curacao winger had made a burst forward in 94th minute, his side trailing 1-0 to Canada. And after an incisive feed into his path, the PSV winger had the space to consider the angles, ponder the distance between him and the goal, take an extra touch, and slot home past a helpless goalkeeper.

He turned away in celebration, but as he looked towards the fans, his teammates mobbing him, he peered into what was a largely empty stadium, Curacao supporters dotted in the seats throughout Shell Energy Stadium, home of Houston Dynamo. Part of that, of course, was due to the fact that some of the loyal support had flooded out of the gates, assuming there was no way that the team could piece together a miraculous 1-1 draw.

But it spoke to a broader issue. This was one of the biggest games in the nation's history, the chance to pip a CONCACAF rising power. And the game didn't come close to selling out.

Such has been the story of the 2025 Gold Cup. It has offered plenty of quality, countless memorable moments, and a reinforcement of the jeopardy that the federation can bring. But with seemingly declining interest in the tournament itself, widely vacant stadiums, and the madness of the football calendar snatching some of its best talent away, there is a sense that even a good competition won't quite be enough.

The tournament is at a crossroads like never before. And no one quite has a solution.

• Getty
  

  What the Gold Cup should be

  As a quick refresher. The Gold Cup is a competition played by (almost) every team in CONCACAF every other year – plus one invited guest. Qatar were in it for a couple of tournaments in a row. Saudi Arabia are involved this time. It was founded in 1991, and it was pretty much the only measuring stick for CONCACAF sides outside of the World Cup.

  UEFA had the Euros. CONMEBOL had the Copa America. CAF had the African Cup of Nations. This was CONCACAF's response. The Confederations Cup rather muddled things for a while, but that brought in outside teams that treated it with varying degrees of seriousness. The Gold Cup was, well, the Gold standard.

  The key word there is . In theory, the Gold Cup was North and Central America's equivalent to the major tournaments held by other federations. It didn't matter that in the early days Mexico were by some distance the best side with the most complete history. This was the way to measure up.

  In the early 2000s, it became more relevant in the United States – if only because the USMNT improved. The 2002 iteration felt seminal. Although the U.S. had won it before, that particular squad set the tone for what was undoubtedly a rise in the quality of American soccer.

  Landon Donovan starred in the midfield. Kasey Keller held it down in goal. Brian McBride, Cobi Jones and Carlos Bocanegra were all a part of that team. The U.S. won comfortably in the final. That set the standard going forward.

  "I was probably the most motivated I've been in my career," Landon Donovan told the U.S. soccer site.

  And it hummed along after that. The tournament is where the likes of Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and others U.S. stars cut their teeth at the international level. They played through injury. They wanted to win this thing. Sure, some managers used the month-long affair as a chance to experiment. But in general, it felt like equal parts extended tryout and must-win competition.

  "I think it's a wonderful way to get your feet wet in terms of what it means to be in an international competition – the cadence of the games, how you recover, the different types of styles of opponents that you're going to play," former USMNT midfielder Dax McCarty told GOAL.

  That has since changed. And this year's tournament is most emblematic yet of the shift.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  A crowded football calendar

  The concerns start with the crowding of the football calendar. This is nothing new. More and more tournaments have been forced into the fray. Club teams – both in North America and in Europe – have to contend with more fixtures. Traditional competitions are longer. Contests such as the Leagues Cup have added a whole new slate of games to things.

  FIFA has perhaps played the biggest role, though. There were fears that the introduction of the Nations League – marketed by FIFA but run by CONCACAF – would strip away interest in the Gold Cup. That competition checked some of the boxes that the Gold Cup did, while also offering a chance for various visions of competition.

  Everyone is involved, while the stronger teams are consolidated into individual groups. It is tricky to field a weaker side when you know that your opponents will bring out their big guns. One only has to look at the meltdown following the USMNT's Nations League semifinal defeat to Panama in the spring to see how important the contest has become.

  "More importance has been placed on the Nations League," Herculez Gomez told GOAL.

  The Club World Cup has also played a role. Some top players remain with their club teams. The U.S. are without presumptive starters Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, who are playing in the CWC with Juventus.

  There is also, more generally, a sort of fan fatigue. There is no doubt that American supporters of the Premier League or top European teams long for the sport to come back when their clubs aren't in action during the summer. But packing the calendar has, in reality, had something of an opposite effect.

  Where once there was nothing, there is now seemingly too much, the Gold Cup and CWC clashing, simultaneously held in the U.S. over the past two weeks, and running into next month. There is only so much time in the day.

  And some don't even have an interest in the CWC. Why might they look elsewhere?

  "I don't see any situation where I'll be watching the CWC in the summer," CBS analyst Jamie Carragher told GOAL. "I'll be on holiday. I don't even think I'll keep abreast of the games. I might watch the semifinals or the final, if it's two really big teams."

• Getty
  

  Fans, fans and more fans

  Perhaps the best way of encapsulating the interest in a competition, though, is how many people show up to watch it. The Club World Cup has had its issues with both massive and minimal crowds, but the Gold Cup's problems have perhaps been more pronounced.

  The USMNT, this tournament's , have played in less than full stadiums. Only 12,000 showed up to see them take on Trinidad & Tobago – which kicked off at 3 p.m. local on a bright and beautiful day – and just 11,727 attended their the second match against Saudi Arabia. 

  Mexico, too, have struggled to sell out. Only 34,000 showed up in cavernous AT&T Stadium to see Mexico beat Suriname, 2-0. That venue has historically driven nearly 70,000 supporters of . CONCACAF's response after it became clear that sales weren't strong was to close off several sections, including the entirety of the 400-level nosebleed seats. But even then, the lack of support was clear.

  And then there are the smaller nations. Trinidad & Tobago-Haiti was played in front of just 2,405 fans.

  There are two potential reasons for that. The first is the political climate and immigration issues in America, which have actively discouraged some fans from attending games. The second is a switch in tradition. Gold Cup games used to be played in back-to-backs. Go to one game and you could stick around for another. That would encourage even some with no apparent stake in the game to watch.

  Overall, the Gold Cup averaged just more than 19,000 fans per game in the group stage, a 32-percent decrease from an average of 28,055 in the 2023 tournament. The drop was even more dramatic for the USMNT and Mexico matches, down 57 percent and 21 percent, respectively. CONCACAF, which – like FIFA for the Club World Cup – uses dynamic ticket pricing for its matches, says it’s distributed nearly 50,000 for the Gold Cup final, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

  There is a school of thought that suggests that fans will pay closer attention as the tournament continues, and the matches become more important. Historically, the U.S. has strolled through the group stage, benched its starters, and brought in the bigger names for later rounds of the tournament.

  That won't happen for the USMNT this summer. Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and a virtual starting lineup of players are missing because of CWC commitments, injury, rest or other reasons, and won't be coming in as the calvary, even if Mauricio Pochettino's team advance in Sunday's quarterfinal against Costa Rica.

  For now, the trends aren't particularly good.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  The USMNT predicament

  For the USMNT, it's difficult to gauage, exactly, what this all means. There are two schools of thought. The first is that the Gold Cup means something – a theory built on the idea of tradition and American exceptionalism. The opposing one is that, well, it doesn't – a summation based on a widespread apathy and need for player rest.

  Both things can be true at the same time. It is entirely plausible that the U.S. want to win – something that last happened in 2021. Pochettino has insisted that he is not here to treat the tournament like a training exercise. His decision to take identical squads to the pre tournament friendlies and the competition itself alone outlined that he wanted continuity over the course of a month.

  And with limited competitive windows ahead of the 2026 World Cup, some have suggested the USMNT needed a more robust roster for this Gold Cup. So yes, then, there are the absentees. Weah, McKennie and Gio Reyna all have club obligations. Robinson is injured. Sergino Dest still needs time to fully recover from knee surgery. Pulisic asked for the summer off due to fears of load management and stress put on his legs after another campaign in which he sustained an injury.

  His decision angered the USMNT sphere in full, and led to a mud-slinging match among former U.S. nationals and the player himself. Pulisic claimed that he wanted to play in the pre-Gold Cup friendlies, but Pochettino said no. Former USMNTers weighed in, claiming Pulisic had misplaced priorities or, worse, was disloyal. Clint Dempsey pointed out that he would play through anything if it meant having the chance to represent his country.

  "For me, it was never a question if I was going to go into the national team and play,” Dempsey said. “Whether it was Gold Cup, World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup, Copa America, the World Cup, I wanted to be there because as a kid, I dreamed about representing my country."

  Whether you think Pulisic is right or wrong doesn't matter. His decision, more broadly speaks to the clear divide during the competition.

  "I hate to take wind out of the talking heads that want to be hyperbolic in this moment, but the Gold Cup has almost never created the majority of a World Cup roster," TNT commentator and former U.S. international Kyle Martino told GOAL. "This Gold Cup roster of missing stars is no different than any Gold Cup roster in the past. Sorry to go against the narrative that we should all pull our hair out and yell at people that aren't dedicated, but this is how it's always looked."

Visitors made to follow on after Somerset declaration as Gregory, Abell share seven

ECB Reporters Network22-Sep-2023Relegation-threatened Kent had to endure the ordeal of a final day follow-on before emerging from the rain-ruined LV= Insurance County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton with a potentially valuable draw.The visitors were bowled out for 235 after Somerset had declared their first-innings total on an overnight 404 for 4, Joe Denly making a priceless 73 to guide his side from a perilous 31 for 4. Skipper Tom Abell was the pick of the home bowling attack with 4 for 52, while Lewis Gregory claimed 3 for 49.Trailing by 169 and faced with a possible 41 overs in their second innings, Kent made a better fist of things and were 44 for 2 when the players shook hands at 4.30pm. They took six points from the game and Somerset 12.The home side’s decision to declare on their overnight total robbed Tom Kohler-Cadmore of the chance to break Viv Richards’ record for the fastest first-class century scored by a home player at Taunton – 48 balls against Glamorgan in 1986. The former Yorkshire player was left unbeaten on 68, off 31 deliveries, having struck eight sixes and two fours.But the declaration also offered the hosts their only chance of winning the game. And it soon looked more than an outside bet as Kent lost four wickets in the first 10.3 overs of the day, Gregory claiming three of them from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.The experienced allrounder had Ben Compton caught behind pushing forward, Daniel Bell-Drummond pouched at midwicket off a full toss and Jack Leaning leg-before in a seven-over opening spell of 3 for 30 that included four no-balls.Jack Brooks, on his final Somerset appearance, weighed in with the wicket of Tawanda Muyeye, well caught low down by Andy Umeed at second slip and there was clear evidence of help for the seamers in a pitch that retained a tinge of greenness.The number of times Kent batsmen played and missed offered evidence that their own bowling attack had failed to capitalise on favourable first-day conditions after skipper Leaning had won the toss.The visitors’ need for batting points saw them bat positively in adversity, aided by an unusually wayward three overs from Neil Wagner, which cost 32 runs, mainly due to over-pitching. Denly and Harry Finch added 54 in 10.1 overs before the latter nicked a drive off seamer Abell through to wicketkeeper James Rew.Denly was severe on anything around half-volley length, producing a string of well-timed straight and cover drives to move to 40 by lunch, which was taken at 110 for 5.The afternoon session began well for Kent with Marcus O’Riordan providing good support for Denly, who went to a precious half-century off 74 balls, with eight fours. The pair built on the score with increasing confidence and had added 71 in 17.2 overs when O’Riordan fell lbw moving across his stumps to a delivery from Abell.Still it seemed Kent might avoid the follow-on and perhaps notch a batting point until a clatter of wickets with the total on 200 saw Abell gain another leg-before decision to remove Denly before striking again four balls later, bowling Jas Singh for a duck.With no addition to the score, Joey Evison, who had batted well for his 23, pulled a short ball from Wagner to Tom Banton at square leg. Michael Hogan, injured bowling on the first day, walked out with a runner and contributed 19 to a last-wicket stand of 35 with Arafat Bhuiyan before having his stumps scattered by Abell, who had been prevented from bowling by a side problem for much of the season.Tea was taken before Compton and Muyeye launched the Kent follow-on, knowing their side had garnered only one bonus point from the match and desperate to ensure five for the draw.There was greater assurance to their batting in bright sunshine, but with the total on 34 in the 11th over Josh Davey had Muyeye well caught by the diving Abell at third slip for 24. Compton edged a ball from Wagner that left him through to Rew, but by then the draw was inevitable and after one over from occasional spinner Banton the players shook hand.

Cristiano Ronaldo could play on until at least 2027, when he will be 42 years old, as he hashes out the details of a new contract at Al-Nassr.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ronaldo in talks over new dealCould sign a two-year extension Would see him play until the age of 42Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , Ronaldo is in talks with Al-Nassr over a new deal that could see him stay in the Saudi Pro League until 2027. The two parties have yet to reach an agreement on the length of the contract, but the possibility is there for the Portugal international to play there until he is 42.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo has shown no signs of slowing down, scoring 93 goals in 105 games for the club, but he has yet to win a trophy with his current employers. He had been linked with a summer exit, particularly to play in the Club World Cup, but he has stayed in Riyadh, and now looks set to put pen to paper to confirm his commitment.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ronaldo has won back-to-back Golden Boots in Saudi Arabia but Al-Nassr ended the season 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Al-Nassr's next scheduled fixture comes against Ittihad in the semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup on August 19. Ronaldo will be desperate to guide his team to a final.

حرص نجم فريق توتنهام ومنتخب كوريا الجنوبية، سون هيونج مين، على تقديم الدعم الكامل والعلني لأهل قطاع غزة، في ظل الحرب الشعواء التي يعانون منها على يد الكيان الصهيوني.

وبدأت ويلات حرب الكيان الصهيوني ضد قطاع غزة منذ 7 أكتوبر 2023، حيث لا زالت مستمرة حتى الآن، وأسفرت عن سقوط الآلاف من الشهداء والمصابين.

وازدادت وتيرة الحرب في الأيام القليلة الماضية بسبب مجاعة عنيفة ضربت أهل قطاع غزة، ونتج عنها سقوط مئات الضحايا، أغلبهم من الأطفال، لعدم توافر الغذاء.

اقرأ أيضًا.. توتنهام يحدد موقفه من عرض أحد الأندية الأمريكية لضم سون

من جانبه، أعلن سون هيونج مين في مقطع فيديو مصور تعاونه مع برنامج الأغذية العالمي، حيث وجه رسالة ناشد من خلالها التبرع لصالح الأسر المتضررة في قطاع غزة.

وقال سون هيونج: “في فلسطين، العديد من الأسر والأطفال يعانون من الجوع الشديد، أكافح ضد الجوع في مختلف أنحاء العالم بالتعاون مع برنامج الأغذية العالمي”.

وأضاف: “منح الطعام للكثير من العائلات بمثابة منحهم الحياة، يمكنك إنقاذ الحيوات في أماكن تعاني من الجوع الضاري عن طريق منحهم وجبات غذاء دافئة”.

واختتم في رسالته المؤثرة: “الغذاء هو أفضل هدية يمكن تقديمها، أرجوكم تبرعوا الآن”.

Tottenham and South Korea star Heung-min Son is calling for donations to support Palestinians through the World Food Programme.

Last year, after a match against the Palestine national team, he also expressed his solidarity with their cause.

Thank you Sonny @Sonny7 pic.twitter.com/pAueFTSbye — Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) July 26, 2025

Juventus coach Igor Tudor says his team have "developed a strategy" to beat Real Madrid after learning their lesson from losing to Manchester City.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Juventus set to face Madrid in the Club World Cup
• Tudor developed a special strategy to beat Madrid
• Wants to take lessons from City defeat

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian side will face the Spanish giants in the Club World Cup round of 16 clash on Tuesday and the head coach is anticipating a massive challenge for his side, with Xabi Alonso's men regarded as one of the tournament favourites.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tudor opted to rest key players for their last group stage match against City, which they lost 5-2. Despite his team being outclassed by the English side, Tudor urged his team to learn lessons, saying: "Defeats are part of the game and of life, you accept them and move on. It will serve as a lesson to us to grow."

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT TUDOR SAID

  Tudor spoke about Madrid and the challenge, saying: "Real Madrid are always strong in these tournaments, I expect a difficult match against a team that has great qualities and has always shown its value in every competition. We have prepared, we want to play our cards and get through to the next round. I explained to the lads that these are the best matches to play . Everyone wants to beat Real Madrid and we want to try too. You have to live it this way, also showing great courage . Even if at the moment they are stronger than us, we have developed a strategy to try to beat them."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS ?

  Juventus are set to take on Madrid today when the two teams face off in the round of 16 of the Club World Cup.

Liverpool's Andy Robertson has revealed his loving nickname for Diogo Jota as he pens a heartbreaking and emotional letter to the late Portugal forward after his fatal car crash. Jota and his brother Andre Silva lost their lives in the early hours of Thursday in Spain after a burst tyre caused their car to veer off the highway. Robertson has also revealed his loving nickname for 'Scottish' Jota.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Robertson sends heartfelt message to JotaReveals special nickname for 'forever' teammateSends love and strength to his familyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The unfortunate news broke of Jota's death in the morning hours of Thursday, after reports from Spain claimed that the Liverpool forward's car had been involved in a car crash in Zamora. Portugal and Liverpool then confirmed the news, and tributes quickly flooded in for the Anfield favourite, and Robertson, who was good friends with Jota off and on the pitch, has now penned a very emotional letter for the 'gentle soul'.

AdvertisementROBERTSON'S TRIBUTE TO JOTA

On Instagram, Robertson wrote a heartbreaking message to Jota which read: "The ones I’m thinking about most right now are the family. Their loss is too much to bear. I’m so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre.

"For the team and the Club, we’ll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy. I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It’s the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real. Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun.

"He was the most British foreign player I’ve ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish… I’d try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota. We’d watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight – one of the best we had. The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.

"I can’t believe we’re saying goodbye. It’s too soon, and it hurts so much.

"But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better.

"Love you, Diogo."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

During their five years together, Jota and Robertson helped Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup. The two Reds stars developed a special bond during that period that went beyond the bounds of Anfield. The two were frequently spotted watching horse racing, darts, or playing FIFA together.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPFURTHER TRIBUTES TO JOTA

The tragic loss is a difficult one to take for the footballing world and Liverpool, especially. Fans of all clubs have come together to celebrate the life of Jota as tributes have poured in from all around the world for the adored former Portuguese international and his brother, Andre.

Ex-Northants assistant adds “scaffolding” to support young quicks, according to women’s head coach Lewis

Andrew Miller10-Nov-2023

Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, believes that the recruitment of Chris Liddle to the women’s performance programme will help to provide the “scaffolding” needed for the team’s crop of young fast bowlers to thrive, in the wake of Issy Wong’s high-profile struggle for form last summer.Liddle, the former Northamptonshire assistant coach, was announced as England Women’s performance pace bowling coach on Friday, ahead of the forthcoming England A training camp in Oman, as well as the senior squad’s T20I and Test tour of India.And with Lewis declaring that fast bowling is the “biggest area of growth” in the women’s game, Liddle will now work closely with Matt Mason, England Women’s fast bowling coach, having been on London Spirit’s books in the Women’s Hundred for the past two seasons.”It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining England Women and I’m really looking forward to getting started,” Liddle said. “The demand on the fast bowlers has increased over the years and I want to be able to provide them with the skills required to grow and develop to be successful over a long period of time.”The shoring-up of England’s pace-bowling set-up comes in the wake of Wong’s tough time in the English season just gone. Having been overlooked for the T20 World Cup at the start of the year, she featured in a solitary T20I against Sri Lanka in Chelmsford in September, but struggled visibly with her run-up as England slumped to a shock eight-wicket defeat.In the wake of that loss, England’s captain, Heather Knight, blamed Wong’s loss of form on the fact that she had been “listening to a lot of different voices” – a not-so-veiled suggestion that her handling at Birmingham Phoenix had been at fault. In the course of their winless campaign, Wong claimed a solitary wicket in five appearances, but bowled just one set of five deliveries in four of those games.At the age of 21, however, she remains one of the most promising young talents in the country, and has now been named as part of a 21-player training camp for the Oman leg of England’s winter. She is also due to feature for Mumbai in the forthcoming WPL season, having claimed a memorable hat-trick in the tournament’s first staging last year.”Issy obviously had a really tough summer,” Lewis said. “There’s no doubt that she’s a really spirited competitor, but after the Sri Lanka series, I said we would scaffold as much support around her as possible. She’s been practising really well up in Loughborough, and the next step for Issy is to move back into competitive cricket.Related

Issy Wong's woes put a dent in the optimism of England youth policy

England face up to spin concerns after Sri Lanka's shock triumph

DY Patil Stadium to host India's first women's Test since 2014

Alex Gidman joins England Women as assistant coach

Sophie Ecclestone back for England tour of India following shoulder surgery

“But I think to push her straight back into an England jersey would be a mistake after what happened in the summer. I want to give her time, to show us that she’s more certain about where she’s going to land the ball when it comes out of the end of her fingers. The A side is a really good way to do that. We hope the work that we’re doing with her will be really clear for everyone to see.”At her best, Wong remains one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game, and an obvious heir across formats to Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who brought down the curtain on her 19-year career in August.However, with other young England fast bowlers now competing for international recognition – most notably the 17-year-old left-armer Mahika Gaur, and Lauren Filer, 22, the break-out star from this year’s women’s Ashes – Lewis said that Wong’s difficult development should be taken as a warning for others coming through the system.”There’s definitely an upward trajectory,” he said of Wong’s return to action. “But is she the finished article yet? No. She’s a young fast bowler. All young fast bowlers go through ups and downs. Especially young fast bowlers who haven’t played much cricket.”It takes a long time, and a lot of balls, for fast bowlers to control the ball as they would really wish,” he added. “I would expect all of our young fast bowlers to have bumpy journeys over the next two, three, four years, until they get to the age of probably 26-27, when they’re much more in control of not only their bodies, but their minds.”We’ll see some ups and downs across the across the next two or three years, but we’ve got an incredibly exciting group, and now two excellent fast-bowling coaches in Matt Mason and Chris Liddle. I’m really pleased that we’re putting the right support around our fast-bowling group, because I really believe that fast bowling in the women’s game is the biggest area of growth.”

Harry Brook, Joe Root and Mark Wood have all signed three-year deals, and a further 15 players signed two-year deals

Matt Roller24-Oct-2023Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director, has played down Ben Stokes’ decision to turn down a three-year central contract with the ECB in favour of a one-year deal, saying: “By no means does it mean that Ben Stokes doesn’t want to play for England.”The ECB announced a list of 26 men who have signed central contracts on Tuesday, of which 18 have signed the first multi-year England contracts. The board felt compelled to act since players’ earning potential in franchise leagues is higher than ever after the launch of the UAE’s ILT20 and the SA20 in South Africa, both of which are supported by significant investment from IPL teams.But while Harry Brook, Joe Root and Mark Wood have all signed three-year deals, Stokes’ contract only covers the next 12 months. Stokes has been under contract with the ECB for the last nine years while lucrative commercial deals and IPL contracts – he was signed for INR 16.25 crore (£1.6 million approx.) by Chennai Super Kings in last year’s auction – have ensured his financial security.Related

Moeen: 'If we're going out, we're going out with a bang'

ECB made an offer, and most players couldn't refuse

It takes one day, but England don't have the time right now

Carse replaces injured Topley in England's World Cup squad

Stokes 'comfortable' with prospect of England players turning down central contracts

Stokes appears to have kept his options open ahead of the renewal of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Team England Player Partnership (TEPP) and the ECB next year, which aligns with a new cycle of broadcast rights. A representative for Stokes declined to comment on his decision.”In the simplest terms, we have done all of this stuff – multi-year deals – a year early,” Rob Key, England’s managing director, told the BBC in Bangalore. “The contracts system follows the broadcast cycle and the next broadcast cycle starts next year. In essence, to make any changes, really, you are meant to do that next year.”[For] Ben Stokes, like people do when they have an offer of a long-term contract, it is that trade of security over a stronger negotiating position. Ben, quite rightly, feels when the next MoU starts and the contract cycle changes, he will be in a stronger position. Other players have gone for that security.”The ECB’s contracting system considers both performances in the preceding year and the likelihood of players featuring in both red and white-ball cricket in the future. “It might be, next year, that there’s a different system,” Key told Sky Sports. “We’re going to work on that as soon as we’ve got this done, as it’s taken a little bit of a while.”Last week, Stokes spoke about “the landscape of cricket changing” when asked if he had considered whether he would play ODIs beyond the ongoing World Cup. “I want to play as much cricket as I possibly can for England,” he said. “That’s where it is for me. I love representing the badge and I want to do that as long as I possibly can and play as many games as I possibly can.”We’ll just see how things work out in terms of whether I do play [ODIs] after this. There’s obviously a few things to go into that: new MoUs coming up and all that sort of stuff… we’ll just see. I want to play as much cricket as I can for England until I can’t anymore.”Key clarified to Sky: “By no means does it mean that Ben Stokes doesn’t want to play for England. As captain of our Test team, all he ever talks about is how we can keep getting better and what we’re doing. We’re going to meet in a bit and start talking about the India tour that we’ve got after Christmas. I wouldn’t read into [the length of his contract] at all.”Last month, Stokes said that he was “very comfortable” with the idea of players turning down contracts to prioritise their long-term financial security.ESPNcricinfo understands that every player who was offered a deal has signed one, though some have agreed shorter terms than were initially presented. The announcement of contracts has been delayed while details were worked through, with deals backdated to run from October 1.ESPNcricinfo LtdBrook, Root and Wood are the three players who have committed for three years, and Wood’s inclusion is particularly notable. In August, he signed a substantial deal with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 and hinted that he could consider skipping England’s upcoming Test tour to India, depending on the details of his central contract.A further 15 players have signed two-year deals, while Stokes is one of eight who has signed a one-year deal. The others include the three oldest players who have agreed contracts: James Anderson, who is 41 and approaching the end of his career, and Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan who are both 36.Brook is among seven players who have signed their first central contracts, along with Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue, while Malan has returned to a full central contract – for a single year – after he was only offered an incremental deal last year.Ben Foakes has retained his central contract, suggesting that he remains in England’s plans despite being dropped from the Test team ahead of this summer’s Ashes series and could tour India next year.Notable absentees include Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Dan Lawrence, Phil Salt and David Willey. Jacks has played for England in all three formats across the past year and is expected to feature more prominently in their white-ball plans after this World Cup, while Willey is the only member of their World Cup squad without a contract for next year.Jason Roy, who was released from the final months of his incremental contract to play in Major League Cricket earlier this year, is another omission from the list, giving further indication that his international career is over, while Craig and Jamie Overton and Olly Stone have all lost their development contracts.Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood and the uncapped John Turner are the three fast bowlers who have been awarded development contracts, which see the ECB provide a top-up of county salaries.ECB central contracts, 2023-24Three years: Harry Brook, Joe Root, Mark Wood
Two years: Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
One year: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley
Development contracts: Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner

ودع النجم المصري محمد صلاح أحد لاعبي ليفربول السابقين والذي رحل عن صفوف الفريق خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وكان ليفربول قد أعلن عن مغادرة نجمه الكولومبي لويس دياز الذي انضم لصفوف بايرن ميونخ في صفقة بلغت قيمتها 75 مليون يورو.

أقرأ أيضاً.. بجوار أساطير النادي.. محمد صلاح يظهر بقيمص ليفربول الجديد

ونشر صلاح عبر حسابه الرسمي في رسالة عاطفية لدياز: “لقد تركت طاقتك وعزيمتك وشغفك في الملعب بصمة لن تنسى”.

Your energy, drive, and passion on the pitch have left a mark that won’t be forgotten. We were truly lucky to have you at Liverpool, and it’s been an honour to share part of your journey and success story.

As a teammate, you were more than reliable — you were inspiring. As a… pic.twitter.com/dgOylOLkbk — Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) August 1, 2025

وأضاف: “لقد كنا محظوظين حقاً بوجودك في ليفربول وكان شرفاً لنا أن نشاركك جزءاً من رحلتك وقصة نجاحك”.

وواصل: “كزميل في الفريق كنت أكثر من جدير بالثقة، كنت مصدر إلهام وكصديق كنت أكثر من ذلك”.

وتابع: “لقد رأينا جميعاً القوة التي تطلبها الأمر للصمود في الأوقات الصعبة خارج الملعب، ما مررت به كان سيحطمك أكثر لكنك عدت قوياً وبذلت قصارى جهدك من أجل النادي”.

واختتم صلاح: “هذا النوع من الصمود يمثل قوة للآخرين ولا يستحق سوى الاحترام، أتمنى لك كل التوفيق في قادم الأيام يا لوتشو”.

جدير بالذكر أن لويس دياز قد انضم لصفوف ليفربول قادماً من بورتو البرتغالي وخاض 148 مباراة وسجل 41 هدفًا وصنع 23 هدفًا.