MLS announced a landmark decision by switching to a fall-spring calendar, and the benefits are obvious, but there are some valid challenges the league needs to navigate through
Focus really hard, and you could almost see the relief in Don Garber as he announced the news. MLS has done the one thing it really should have done for years, and he knew it. There has been talk, stretching back to last January, that an official switch to a fall-spring calendar in North America's professional soccer setup was imminent. For a while, there were just whispers and suggestions. It was reportedly brought up at countless board meetings. It received cautious public backing from coaches.
And, more broadly, anyone who consumed the league, followed its transfers, or even turned on Apple from time to time knew it was probably the sensible idea.
After some previous challenges, MLS, at long last, has a fall-spring calendar. The league has confirmed it. The basics are as expected. Starting in 2027, games will run from late July to early May. There will be a break in the winter. Transfer windows will align with the rest of the world. There will be no more playing through international breaks. On the face of it, this seems like the day when a still-growing, but at times conservative, league finally decided to take a bold swing.
At the same time, there are clear caveats. Existing player contracts will need to be reworked, and the league will now find itself competing more directly with other major U.S. sports during the heart of its season. There’s also value in tradition – even if MLS’s calendar has always been unconventional. So while this move feels logical and long overdue, it won’t be without complications.
MLS 3.0 may be underway, but its success is far from guaranteed.
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'Take our time and get it right'
MLS has been inching toward this for years, and there was a growing sense that the shift was inevitable. This is a league in a constant state of evolution, and the move brings it into the modern era in a more convincing way. In truth, MLS delayed the change longer than it wanted to, Commissioner Don Garber admitted at a news conference.
"We would rather take our time and get it right than be fast and get it wrong," Garber said.
The general idea here is to capitalize on the momentum brought about by the 2026 World Cup. The tournament is considered – and rightly so – a landmark event in the scope of the game in North America. Now is the perfect opportunity, if not excuse, for MLS to make significant changes in earnest. And what better way to convince people that MLS is legitimate than to do so around a World Cup? If this is the expression of the American game in club form, it should surely be linked to the biggest global event that soccer offers.
There have been extensive discussions, though, to make sure that the change is made in the right way. The league surveyed fans and other relevant parties, it said in a release, about their relative interest in a Fall-Spring calendar. Ninety-two percent of respondents supported a change to align with the European game. Discussions first started in earnest in October 2023. Just over two years later, rumor has become reality.
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Transfers and international breaks
On the face of it, primarily, removing all of the noise, this is advantageous for MLS. Some would meet it with a shrug and a "duh." MLS, by working on a different schedule, is out of touch with the European world that it is so often compared to. On the face of things, this is a move toward legitimacy. Want to take us seriously? Well, here's a calendar to show you that we're for real.
But the most obvious benefit is the way the league functions in the global soccer sphere. For so long, transfer windows have been so awkward to figure out. MLS's primary window runs from January to April. Its secondary one stretches from July to August. That has proven to be a roadblock on two fronts. Primarily, it has made player acquisition harder, with the league forced to go after those who have either already begun their seasons at their club or are looking for a move halfway through. It's a pain in terms of recruitment. Even more difficult, though, is the midseason window where MLS teams can so often lose their best players. That July to August window has been a deadly thing for some sides, who have to kiss top talents goodbye when a good offer comes in.
"It allows us to be aligned with the international transfer windows, which we think is incredibly important. It gives us a wide variety of opportunities that will expand our ability to be on this path, to be one of the top and leading leagues in the world," Garber said.
The shift won't entirely change the fact that MLS teams will lose good footballers here and there. But they can also use those windows to sign new ones, or plan ahead properly. What can happen here, then, is the fleshing out of a proper global transfer infrastructure, where players come and go – and spending can be maximized (albeit with the caveat of complicated salary cap rules). There could be more transfers like LAFC's blockbuster move for Son Heung-Min as a result.
There is further good news to be found in the fact that the calendar now aligns with FIFA international windows. There are a number of instances during the season where clubs lose significant chunks of their roster due to national team commitments – and still have to worry about regular season games with significant implications. That is no longer a problem.
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A few concerns linger
Yet there are surely some losers. The main group, immediately, might just be the players. A switch to a fall-spring calendar would undoubtedly complicate contract negotiations. Under current MLS rules, deals expire in December. There will, surely, be some contracts to renegotiate. Garber was asked, in fact, how much of a say the players had in the decision, and his response was vague.
"I'm sure there will be a time soon that we'll be able to, collectively with the MLSPA, have a discussion, and we can talk about all those details," Garber said.
There are also some questions to be asked about timing. To be sure, a break from mid-December to early February – similar to the setup currently offered by the Bundesliga – will save some fans in cold climates. But Minnesota, Chicago, and New England in early December, or even November, might not be all that pleasant.
There are broader questions to be asked, too, about fan attendance in general. The league very proudly announced that it welcomed over 14 million fans in the regular season alone into stadiums on matchdays. Will the march to the stadium remain the same in the dark and the cold, rather than an agreeable summer evening? These are things that simply cannot be prepared for.
And then there are the minutea: sponsorships, season tickets, day-to-day operations for teams. Those remain unknown.
"The bottom line is this change has been approved because we think it will, overall, raise the awareness, therefore the engagement with our teams, and therefore make them more valuable to the corporate community and to their fans," Garber said.
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The North American sports calendar
But perhaps the biggest question, writ large, is how this all fits in to the rest of the North American sports calendar. Currently, the MLS season runs from February to early December. The playoffs and MLS Cup clash directly with the middle of the NFL season, the World Series, crucial college football games, and the start of the NBA season. This is not the best time of year to get eyes on your hallmark event.
A shift to a May MLS Cup, then, would seem to alleviate some of those fears. NFL and college football will be over. The start of the MLB season is hardly gripping stuff. And falling right before the NBA finals seems a good deal. MLS is happy where they will fit in the calendar under a new system, Nelson Rodriguez, EVP of MLS said Thursday.
"We think this sets us up to showcase ourselves in a much better form. The competition will always be there, whether it's gridiron, hoops, or sticks and balls," Rodriguez said.
Still, there are questions to be asked. The middle of the season will then clash directly with the biggest games in the NFL and College Football Playoff (which is now approximately 36 teams large). And whatever eyes MLS might have been able to capitalize on during the club soccer offseason are now fixated elsewhere. The theory that MLS is an alternative to boredom when Europe's top leagues aren't active will now fall apart.
Arsenal chief Andrea Berta was a very busy man over his first summer transfer window at the club, but now one of his decisions is being seriously questioned.
Arsenal record highest summer net spend to back Mikel Arteta
The arrivals of Kepa, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, who all cost a combined £267 million, will undoubtedly play a major role as Mikel Arteta attempts to end the club’s long wait for a Premier League title.
Rank
Club
Gross Spend
Sales
Net Spend
5.
Sunderland
£183.4m
£42m
-£141.4m
4.
Tottenham
£171.2m
£17m
-£154.2m
3.
Manchester United
£232.4m
£61.7m
-£170.7m
2.
Liverpool
£446.5m
£228.1m
-£218.4m
1.
Arsenal
£267m
£10m
-£257m
It’s been a near-perfect start for Arteta’s side this season, with the Gunners’ imperious defence largely to thank for Arsenal sitting three points clear of Man City at the top of the table.
William Saliba, who recently signed a new deal until 2030, and Gabriel Magalhaes have displayed once again why they’re two of world football’s best centre-backs right now, with David Raya also awarded improved terms after establishing him as one of Europe’s best goalkeepers.
Their solidity was once again evident last weekend as Arsenal battled to a narrow 1-0 win at Fulham, and they hugely profited off yet another dead-ball situation when Leandro Trossard tapped home the only goal of the game from a corner.
While Arsenal’s backline has made all the headlines, the same cannot be said of summer signing Gyokeres, who was brought in to be their main vocal point of attack after two seasons free-scoring in Portugal.
The Sweden international’s arrival for an initial £55 million from Sporting CP followed his extraordinary haul of 97 goals in just over a century of appearances for the Primeira Liga side, but Gyokeres hasn’t exactly replicated that form thus far.
The 27-year-old, after failing to score again versus Fulham, is now on a seven-game goalless run in all competitions, but this could well change at home to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League tonight.
Gyokeres was repeatedly denied by ex-Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno at Craven Cottage on Saturday, and his intent to trouble opposing shot-stoppers has been crystal clear from the get-go.
However, his numbers haven’t reflected this, with the Premier League’s all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer, now sharing his verdict on Berta’s big-name summer buy.
Alan Shearer says Berta paid over the odds to sign Viktor Gyokeres for Arsenal
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Shearer insists that Berta paid over the odds to sign Gyokeres for Arsenal, demanding more from the ex-Coventry City forward.
However, while Shearer was critical of Gyokeres’ return, he does explain that the Scandinavian brings something game-changing to the Emirates.
Gyokeres’ ability to hold up the ball and link play allows Arsenal’s creative midfielders to find space and launch attacks, even if he hasn’t yet consistently finished chances.
Moreover, Arteta’s new number nine is still adapting to the Premier League’s pace and intensity, which often takes time, and Gary Neville has tipped the player to “bully” lesser sides once he finds his feet in England.
With regular game time and continued development, Gyokeres’ goal tally is expected to improve, especially taking into account the chances he’s already created for himself on regular occasions in games.
That being said, with Kai Havertz expected to return from injury earlier than anticipated, Gyokeres could be looking over his shoulder if the goals don’t come more regularly soon.
Paul Mullin will be auctioning off his famous customised "F*ck the Tories" boots. The boots, first unveiled in 2022, carried a message that caused uproar in the Wrexham boardroom. And now, the striker has announced that he is going to sell it off to the highest bidder.
The boots that started a firestorm
The bold slogan, emblazoned across his Nike Mercurials, instantly became a lightning rod for debate in football and political circles. Mullin had them custom-made as part of his personal protest against the Conservative Party’s handling of Britain’s working class. It was a stance rooted deeply in his Merseyside upbringing. But while Mullin saw it as a stand for ordinary people, his club at the time, Wrexham, saw it as a step too far. They were quick to distance themselves from the controversy once images of the boots surfaced on Mullin’s Instagram.
A Wrexham statement read: “The club can confirm that the boots revealed by Paul Mullin on social media will not be worn tonight, or in any other Wrexham AFC fixture and that the photographs taken at the Racecourse Ground were done so without our knowledge or approval. For the record, the pictures wouldn’t have been permitted to be taken had we known, and the issue will be dealt with privately by the club.
“The club has adopted a neutral position on many matters with a political dimension and intends to continue to do so going forward. The club also acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether that be employees or supporters, but would also highlight that an individual's view cannot be fairly attributed as the view of everyone or the club itself.
“There is no more prominent example of this than the fact that the MP for the constituency within which the club is found is a Conservative seat. After this unwelcome distraction, the club hopes the focus remains on our objectives of gaining promotion on the field and creating community benefit off it, in which Paul Mullin will continue to play a significant part."
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Boots put up for auction
Despite being banned from wearing the boots, Mullin kept them. In 2024, Britain changed political course. The Labour Party’s landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule. As Rishi Sunak handed the keys of Downing Street to Keir Starmer, Mullin was quick to celebrate.
Posting a waving hand emoji on Instagram, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "If you know anyone who needs some boots, I’ve got a spare pair now!”
Now, the man himself has confirmed on social media that the boots will officially go under the hammer. "So a few months ago I said they would be up for auction and here they are," Mullin announced to his followers on Instagram.
@paulmulin12 Instagram
From cult hero to outsider
After firing Wrexham to two promotions and scoring 110 goals in 172 games, Mullin earned cult hero status in North Wales. But last season, the fairytale began to drift apart. The 30-year-old found himself sidelined as Wrexham made the leap to the Championship. With new signings and bigger ambitions, Mullin became surplus to Phil Parkinson’s plans. Now, he’s swapped red for blue as he joined Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2025/26 season.
A few days after completing the transfer, he said on Sky Sports: "Nothing really changes for me. I’ve always said that I never want to prove anyone wrong; I always want to prove myself right. There’s many reasons why I haven’t played at League One level through my career, that was purely due to choice a lot of the time, and obviously last year didn’t go the way I wanted. I think that was from a personal point of view, but many people will say ‘oh you didn’t score goals last year’, and they will be the same people that rely on xG, which, to be honest, I don’t believe in, but if that was the case, then I only had an xG of four and managed to score three, so it weren’t such a bad season for those people. I probably started 12 games and scored five goals, so I can spin it any way you want. For me, it wasn’t a successful season. I want to play games, never mind scoring goals, I just want to play and be part of a team that’s successful, that’s the most important thing to me, being successful as a team, and last year we were."
Mullin added on his decision to join Wigan: "It is a fresh start. People could be sad about it, like, obviously, a lot of Wrexham fans, but for me, I’m excited about the next chapter of my book. In life, you have many opportunities to change paths and go in different directions, and sometimes you’ve got to be brave to go and take the next step and see what’s next for you. I’m really looking forward to the future; it’s something I’m really excited about, and yeah, I’m fully excited about what’s to come."
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Wrexham redemption still on the cards?
Despite his loan spell, the door isn’t shut on Mullin’s Wrexham story. With two years left on his contract, a return to the Racecourse isn’t impossible. Even former Wrexham boss Dean Saunders believes the striker could earn a second chance in north Wales.
“One thing about Paul Mullin is that he is a goal scorer, and he always will be," he said. "He knows where the net is, and when he is in form on a scoring streak, I’m not sure there is any forward scarier in the EFL. Wrexham have signed players from higher up and have decided to send him out on loan, which I think is fair enough, as they have Premier League ambitions.
“One thing Paul needs to do is keep at it. He needs a manager who backs him to score goals and lead the line, which he seems to have found at Wigan. He needs to stay fit and bang in goals to show Wrexham what they are missing. I actually think Wales could still use him in an international squad. It’s hard to find natural goal scorers, and that’s exactly what Paul is. Wales could use some of his firepower."
At Wigan, Mullin is determined to remind everyone why he’s one of the most prolific forwards outside the Premier League. With four goals in 16 appearances, he’s aiming to break his recent dry spell when the Latics face Mansfield Town on Saturday.
Na virada do Santos sobre o Grêmio, a torcida, com mais de 12 mil presentes na Vila Belmiro, teve papel essencial neste capítulo da intensa luta contra o rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro. Pirotecnia, mística e tensão foram alguns dos ingredientes que cercaram o duelo deste último domingo (20).
A importantíssima partida contra os gaúchos começou um dia antes da bola rolar. Com a presença de torcedores de torcidas organizadas do clube no CT Rei Pelé, a torcida prometeu uma grande festa, apoio incondicional e motivou os atletas a salvarem a reputação do Alvinegro Praiano “pelo Pelé”. Ao que parece, com o pacto cumprido, tudo isso surtiu efeito sobre os jogadores.
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Após os torcedores arrecadarem R$ 9 mil reais para realização do “corredor de fogo”, a festa pré-jogo foi intensa e marcante, com milhares de santistas nas ruas de acesso ao estádio.
NÚMEROS DO SANTOS NA VILA BELMIRO
Se existe uma dobradinha que historicamente funciona, e por muitas vezes funcionou, é a junção entre a torcida do Peixe e o estádio da Vila Belmiro.
Apesar das estatísticas pouco animadoras do Alvinegro Praiano em casa se comparadas com outras temporadas do clube, existe um abismo entre a campanha do time dentro e fora dos seus domínios.
Jogos do Santos em casa em 2023: 23 (9 vitórias, 11 empates e 3 derrotas) = 55,07% de aproveitamento
Jogos do Santos fora de casa em 2023: 21 (4 vitórias, 3 empates e 14 derrotas) = 23,8% de aproveitamento
FOI PELÉ?
O lance que não saiu da mente e da lista de vídeos mais assistidos dos torcedores do Santos nesta semana carrega a seguinte mística: Foi Pelé que impediu a bola de sair do campo de jogo no segundo gol?
Verdade ou não, a crendice reforça toda mística e força que o time possui dentro de sua casa. Para conseguir os mágicos 45 pontos e, dessa forma, virtualmente escapar do rebaixamento, o poder da Vila Belmiro não só é importante, como também será o definidor para sabermos se o Peixe permanecerá ou não na elite do futebol nacional.
It may seem crazy at this early stage of the season, but it would appear as though Russell Martin’s days at Rangers are numbered.
On Sunday, the first Old Firm of the season took place and to say it wasn’t a classic would be a contender for understatement of the century; it finished goalless, with Rangers’ xG 0.16 to the opposition’s 0.17.
After both Glasgow giants were ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying during the week, neither are at the peak of their powers just now, but the crisis in Govan is certainly the more alarming of the two, so could this result in the shortest managerial tenure in the club’s 153-year history?
Russell Martin a man under pressure
Not including caretakers, Pedro Caixinha holds the record for the shortest tenure of any permanent Rangers manager, overseeing 26 matches in 2017, infamously knocked out of Europa League qualifying by Luxembourgish minnows Progrès Niederkorn.
Manager Focus
However, this record could be smashed in the coming weeks, with Martin having taken charge of just 11 fixtures to date; his 26th would come on 27 November against Braga, but many are forecasting that he’ll be long gone before then.
Sunday’s goalless stalemate with Celtic means Rangers have now drawn all four Premiership matches so far, previously held by Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren, making this their worst start to a season since 1983, going on to finish all the way down in fourth back then.
Meantime, while they did enjoy impressive victories over Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzeň, Rangers’ Champions League dreams were crushed by Club Brugge in the play-off round, steamrollered 9-1 on aggregate, their biggest two-legged European defeat for 65 years.
Following last Wednesday’s 6-0 annihilation at Jan Breydelstadion, speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Ewan Murray believes that never before has there been a managerial appointment so instantaneously “doomed” as Martin at Rangers, adding that supporters didn’t want him in the first place, and the atmosphere has truly turned toxic following “horrendous” results and performances.
So, with games against Hearts, Hibs and then Genk to come after the international break, the new ownership group 49ers Enterprises have to be considering other managerial candidates, despite publicly backing Martin, so should a “serial winner” be very much at the top of their list?
Rangers' dream Russell Martin successor
In shock news last Friday, it was announced that Fenerbahçe had sacked José Mourinho, following their own elimination in the Champions League play-offs, defeated at Estádio da Luz on Wednesday, thereby ousted 1-0 aggregate by Benfica.
The İstanbul-based giants still have not qualified for the Champions League group stages since 2008, their most recent Turkish Süper Lig title coming in 2014, appointing Mourinho to change both of these facts, but he ultimately achieved neither during 14 months in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium dugout.
In fairness, this has proved a salient strategy for numerous clubs in the past.
Before Mourinho, Porto hadn’t won the Champions League for 17 years, Chelsea hadn’t won the Premier League for 50 years, Inter hadn’t been European champions for 45 years and Roma hadn’t won a continental title for 62 years.
Well, given Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football recently, Rangers appears to be the perfect next destination for Mourinho, given his cult of personality, with reports late last week suggesting that the Gers could be set to open talks with the veteran coach.
For context, not only have the Hoops won 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles, since 2011/12, Celtic have picked up 28 major honours, during which time Rangers have won three, the same number as St Johnstone.
Well, speaking on BT Sport following Roma’s Conference League triumph over Feyenoord, Owen Hargreaves labelled Mourinho a “serial winner”, adding “football is about winning” and that is why he has brought Rome to life, so could the Special One do something similar on Glasgow’s south side?
Well, when 49ers Enterprises took a majority stake in Rangers earlier this summer, many were expecting them to target a big name; Martin doesn’t really fit that billing, does he?
Also, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League round of 16 tie at Ibrox in March, Mourinho intimated that he would like to manage one of Glasgow’s big two in the future.
When asked, he stated “why not in the future?”, adding that the Scottish league is a “league of passion…. which is everything”, and that he only wants to work at a club with “big fan bases, big emotions, big responsibilities and big expectations”.
So, could the recently out-of-work 62-year-old soon be unveiled in Glasgow?
Should this happen, it would, without doubt, be the most excited the Rangers support have been about a new manager since Steven Gerrard arrived seven years ago.
Back in 2018, thousands of supporters descended on Ibrox just to welcome the rookie manager, who would eventually deliver the Premiership title in his third season.
None of his successors, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale nor Philippe Clement, have been able to repeat this feat, but Mourinho-mania would go through the roof in Glasgow, and he wins wherever he goes, except Tottenham, so why not Rangers?
Martin cost Rangers the win by playing star who was worse than Aasgaard
Russell Martin may look back on this tactical decision with regret after his underwhelming display.
O Fluminenseficou próximo de garantir o retorno de um atacante conhecido da sua torcida. O clube encaminhou acordo com Yony González, que teve passagem no clube em 2019. A informação é do “ge”.
O jogador de 28 anos estava no Portimonense, de Portugal, e ficou livre no mercado neste mês. Seu nome foi aprovado pelo técnico Fernando Diniz, mas o atleta ainda terá de desembarcar no Rio de Janeiro e fazer exames médicos antes de assinar contrato.
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Yony González chamou atenção do Tricolor das Laranjeiras em 2019, após ter se destacado pelo Junior Barranquilla. No clube, marcou 17 gols no período no qual foi comandado por Diniz.
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Após ser contratado pelo Benfica, o atacante teve passagens pelo Corinthians, LA Galaxy e Ceará. Além disso, atuou no Deportivo Cali antes de jogar no Portimonense.
O atacante postou em seu Instagram um story enigmático no dia anterior.
O jogador de 28 anos divulgou uma mensagem dizendo “Minha alegria vai voltar”.
In an emotional message on social media, Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets confirmed what had been rumored in recent weeks: he will retire from professional football at the end of the playoffs as the Herons chase their first MLS Cup. The 37-year-old has made 69 league appearances for the club and his contract expires in December
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An unforgettable career
Busquets wraps up what will be an unforgettable run: 722 appearances for FC Barcelona, nine La Liga titles, and three UEFA Champions League trophies on the club side. With the Spanish national team, the midfielder earned 143 caps and lifted the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa.
At Inter Miami, he's lifted two trophies – the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield.
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'I retire happy, fulfilled, and, above all, grateful'
The veteran revealed that the feeling of fulfillment guided his decision to finish his career at the end of the season.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” Busquets posted on social media. “I feel that the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It’s been nearly 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of. These will be my final months on the pitch. I retire happy, fulfilled, and, above all, grateful. Thank you all so much – see you soon."
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How many games Busquets has left
With five games left in the regular season, Miami have already clinched the playoffs and are now aiming to secure a direct spot in the playoffs. They could even climb higher from their current third-place position, as they have two matches in hand and sit just five points behind Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union.
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Toronto next…
Javier Mascherano’s squad will fly to Canada tomorrow to face Toronto FC this Saturday.
يلعب منتخب ليبيا مباراة قوية مساء اليوم الأربعاء ضد نظيره الرأس الأخضر، ذلك في إطار منافسات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلي كأس العالم 2026.
منتخب ليبيا يلاقي الرأس الأخضر، ضمن مواجهات الجولة التاسعة من مباريات المجموعة الرابعة لـ تصفيات كأس العالم المقرر إقامتها العام المقبل في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.
منتخب ليبيا يتواجد في المجموعة الرابعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بجانب منتخبات الرأس الأخضر والكاميرون وأنجولا وموريشيوس وإيسواتيني.
ويمتلك منتخب ليبيا 14 نقطة، ويحتل المركز الثالث في ترتيب المجموعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بينما يتصدر منتخب الرأس الأخضر، الترتيب برصيد 19 نقطة.
طالع | موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة مصر وجيبوتي اليوم في تصفيات إفريقيا لـ كأس العالم 2026.. والمعلق
وتعد حظوظ المنتخبين ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، قائمة في التأهل إلي نهائيات كأس العالم القادم، للمرة الأولي في تاريخهما. موعد مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم
تقام مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، اليوم الأربعاء، 8 أكتوبر 2025، في تمام الساعة 4 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، 3 بتوقيت ليبيا. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم
تنقل مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، على قناة ليبيا الرياضية Libya Sport TV.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
Kylian Mbappe admitted it was "stupidity" after error during France's 2-0 win over Ukraine
French star admitted to a moment of "stupidity" after miss
Mbappe equalled Henry in the scoring charts
Eyes Olivier Giroud’s all-time Les Bleus record
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The world champions looked composed throughout, breaking down a stubborn Ukrainian defence with patience before Mbappe sealed the contest in the 82nd minute. His clinical finish moved him clear of Michel Platini and side by side with Henry in the national team’s history books. Only Olivier Giroud, sitting top with 57 goals, now stands between Mbappe and outright immortality.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
But even the greats have their blunders. In stoppage time, Aurelien Tchouameni threaded an inch-perfect pass into Mbappe’s path. With just keeper Anatoliy Trubin to beat, the French captain opted for flair over efficiency, attempting a delicate lob. However, his effort fell flat on its face.
WHAT MBAPPE SAID
Reflecting afterwards, Mbappe didn’t sugar-coat his verdict: "That was mostly just stupidity. A move like that is only beautiful if it works. Next time, I need to score it…or not attempt it at all.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
With six more goals needed to catch Giroud’s haul of 57, Mbappe is within touching distance of the summit. Given his age and scoring rate, few doubt he’ll rewrite the record books sooner rather than later. However, speaking to after the win, he downplayed his obsession with records: “The record is getting closer, it’s not something I’m thinking about. I don’t know if it’s because I think I can beat it or because I think there are more important things. But it’s true that being the top scorer in the history of the French team is no small feat.”
Chelsea certainly appear to be a team who are aiming for a big season in 2025/26.
Enzo Maresca not only led the Blues to a wonderful triumph at the Club World Cup, but he simultaneously managed to bolster his squad in the process.
In came João Pedro and Liam Delap. Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens was signed to bolster Maresca’s wide options, while Brazilian sensation Estevao will link up with the club ahead of the new season.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro
It is a summer of change at Stamford Bridge, and the victory stateside will only heighten expectations once the Premier League season gets underway in a few weeks.
The $125m that the club won at the tournament this summer will help fund a few of the summer signings, but Maresca will be looking to sell a raft of players to fund more incomings.
João Felix and Christopher Nkunku could be set to leave the club this summer. As to Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga and Raheem Sterling in the coming weeks.
These players could fetch decent fees, which, in turn, will allow the club to further bolster key positions.
Noni Madueke has also been sold to Arsenal, while Nicolas Jackson is being heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. These two might be the biggest losses.
Chelsea looking to sell more players
Given the imminent arrival of Estevao at Stamford Bridge, plus the presence of Pedro Neto, it was evident that Madueke’s chances of regular game time on the right flank would be limited next term.
When Arsenal began to show serious interest, it was only a matter of when and not if the Gunners would seal the deal.
Noni Madueke for Chelsea
His sale could earn Chelsea around £50m, which is a remarkable sum for a player who scored seven Premier League goals for the Blues last term.
Jackson has been subject to interest from a host of clubs since the summer transfer window opened a few weeks ago.
Recently, however, it is Manchester United who are keen on securing a move for the Senegal international.
According to reports, United have already held talks with Jackson’s representatives regarding a potential move to Old Trafford.
With Pedro and Delap looking like they will share the centre-forward workload this season, is there any room for Jackson?
Chelsea'sNicolasJacksonreacts after being shown a red card by referee Ivan Barton
Last term, he made just 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring only 13 goals in the process for the club.
His form tailed off towards the end of the season after a decent start, going on to find the back of the net on four occasions after Christmas.
Given his competition for a place in the starting XI combined with his poor form throughout 2025, Jackson could seek a fresh start by moving away from London.
Nicolas Jackson
He could easily command a fee of over £50m in the current market, and he wouldn’t exactly be a massive loss to Maresca.
The Blues might have to brace themselves for a potential offer for one of their star players, however, and he would be a far bigger loss than Madueke and Jackson combined…
Chelsea could receive an offer for Cole Palmer
While Maresca is keen on selling several of his first-team players this summer to raise funds, certain players won’t be for sale.
Cole Palmer is one such name. The Englishman is at the forefront of the club’s recent success, and he will have another big part to play next season.
An extraordinary recent report from Spain has claimed that Manchester City are looking to bring him back to the Etihad, just two years after selling him.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola is willing to offer Chelsea £147m to seal a swoop for the former City academy graduate, and he could be the final part of the jigsaw for the Spaniard.
It is highly unlikely that Maresca will even consider such an offer, despite it meaning the club could rake in £100m profit on the midfielder. He is far more important than that ahead of the new season.
What Chelsea would lose if Palmer leaves
For a fee of just £40m, Palmer has arguably been one of the finest signings in the club’s recent history.
Hailed as having a “special quality” in front of goal by Guardiola a few years ago, Palmer soon emerged as one of the finest talents in the Premier League during his maiden season at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer scored 27 goals and grabbed 15 assists for the Blues as they sealed a return to European football under Mauricio Pochettino.
Last season, the former City starlet registered 32 goal contributions across all competitions, particularly shining at the recent Club World Cup.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder was in sublime form stateside. Aside from his five-goal involvements, Palmer averaged 3.5 shots per game, created four big chances while also averaging two key passes each game.
He powered the club to the title, and it sets him up for another wonderful campaign at Stamford Bridge.
This will be the first time the Blues will play in the Champions League since 2022/23, highlighting how important it is for them to keep Palmer.
Palmer’s Premier League stats for Chelsea
Metric
2023/24
2024/5
Goals
22
15
Assists
11
8
Big chances created
17
24
Key passes per game
2.1
2.5
Shots per game
3.2
3.4
Via Sofascore
While everyone has their price, Maresca will surely be ready to turn down any official bid should it arrive in the coming days; that’s for sure.
Jackson and Madueke are certainly dispensable, with the Blues already having players better than them in the current squad.
As for Palmer, there might not be a better attacking midfielder in the whole of England who has offered as much as the Englishman since he moved to London.
There are plenty of weeks left in the transfer window, but every single Chelsea fan will be hoping that their talisman remains at the club. Not just for next season, but for the foreseeable future too.
Chelsea in talks with agents of "amazing" £40m star, he's open on the move
The Blues have made an approach for a Premier League player, who could now be tempted by a move to Stamford Bridge.