WATCH: England's future is looking bright! Alejandro Gomez converts incredible team goal at Under-17 European Championships before Noah Fernandez scores stunning free-kick for Belgium

England's Alejandro Gomez scored an incredible team goal at the Under-17 European Championships before Noah Fernandez struck a stunning free-kick.

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England held to 1-1 drawRodriguez set tone with incredible team goalFernandez replied with sensational free-kickFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England got off to a flying start thanks to a moment of composed brilliance from Rodriguez. The Lyon striker opened the scoring just 12 minutes into the match, finishing off a fluid attacking move that started from the goalkeeper. The final pass was provided by Seth Ridgeon, as he split the Belgian defence with a perfect through ball. Rodriguez latched onto the pass with confidence and expertly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper, putting England in front with a clinical finish.

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Belgium found themselves trailing at the break, but came out in the second half with renewed purpose and urgency. Just minutes after the restart, they drew level in dramatic fashion courtesy of a moment of individual brilliance from Fernandez. Given a free-kick just outside the penalty area, Fernandez took his time before launching a stunning curling strike that arched over the English wall and nestled into the top corner.

WATCH THE CLIPSWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND & BELGIUM?

With one point apiece from this opening match, both England and Belgium will now turn their attention to crucial upcoming games in Group B. England are set to face Italy on Friday. Belgium, meanwhile, are preparing to take on the Czech Republic on the same day.

Imad Wasim returns to Nottinghamshire as short-term injury cover for crucial Vitality Blast games

Somerset have brought in Ish Sodhi for their final two group games

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2023Nottinghamshire have signed Imad Wasim on a short-term deal as cover for Colin Munro and Samit Patel, who will miss the end of the Vitality Blast group stages through injury.Imad was part of the Notts side that won the trophy in 2020 and returns for a third spell at Trent Bridge ahead of their final two group games, and potentially the knockouts beyond.Notts sit fourth in the North Group and will qualify for the quarter-finals if they win either of their remaining games, both of which are at home: against Birmingham Bears on Friday, then Leicestershire on Sunday.”We’re delighted to welcome Imad back, particularly with the memories we have with him lifting the trophy at Edgbaston three years ago,” Peter Moores, Nottinghamshire’s head coach, said. “We have two big games at Trent Bridge with qualification in our own hands and an opportunity to still gain a home draw depending how other results go.”Elsewhere, Somerset have brought in Ish Sodhi for their final two group games. They have already qualified for a home quarter-final – but players must be registered in the group stage of the competition to be eligible to play in the knockout stages.Sodhi will act as cover for Peter Siddle (hand), Roelof van der Merwe (finger), Lewis Gregory (finger) and Lewis Goldsworthy (rib) who are all sidelined through recent injuries.”Everyone is aware of the injuries that we have picked up to senior players over the last week or so,” Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, said. “It was imperative at such a key stage of the Vitality Blast campaign that we acted quickly and identified a player who could add real value to our squad.”

'We lose it so easily, damn it!' – Vinicius Jr's furious complaints revealed during Real Madrid's Clasico defeat to Barcelona

Vinicius Junior launched an angry rant during Real Madrid's loss against Barcelona in Sunday's El Clasico.

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Vini Jr left frustrated during El ClasicoMadrid went down 4-3 against BarcelonaBrazilian winger picked up an ankle sprainFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Madrid suffered their fourth El Clásico defeat of the 2024-25 season on Sunday as they went down 4-3 against rivals Barcelona despite taking an early two-goal lead. With the defeat, the defending champions are on the verge of losing the La Liga title race as the Blaugrana are now only a win away from sealing their 28th Spanish championship.

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Vinicius Junior, who provided assists for two out of Kylian Mbappe's three goals, was spotted angrily ranting at his teammates for losing the ball easily. DAZN's cameras filmed him saying: "We lose the ball so easily, damn it! We lose it so easily, damn it! Of course, damn it. Back, back, back, back, always back."

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The Brazilian winger remained on the pitch for 88 minutes before being subbed off due to an ankle injury. A day after the Clasico loss, Los Blancos confirmed that the 24-year-old picked up an ankle sprain. The club, however, did not reveal the degree of his injury.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS JUNIOR?

It remains to be seen if the Brazilian regains his fitness before the club's upcoming must-win La Liga clash against Mallorca on Wednesday.

VIDEO: Harry Kane gets drenched! Bayern Munich striker doused in beer during Bundesliga title celebrations after scoring in 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach as England captain joins trophy-winning club

Harry Kane was given a beer shower following Bayern Munich's Bundesliga trophy celebrations.

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Kane wins first trophyCelebrates Bayern's Bundesliga winMobbed with beer showerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern backed up their Bundesliga title win last weekend with a 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, with Kane getting on the scoresheet again. And just when the England captain was being interviewed about his team's triumph, the striker was doused in beer in front of his home fans – a tradition known as a Weißbierdusche (or wheat beer shower).

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Former Tottenham man Kane finally ended his lengthy wait to win a trophy when he helped Bayern win the league title earlier this month. The 31-year-old has been prolific for the German giants since signing for them in 2023 and now he is enjoying some well-earned celebrations.

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Kane's Bayern round off their Bundesliga season away to Hoffenheim next Saturday.

Ben Stokes: 'The game I love should be enjoyed without discrimination'

The full text of Stokes’ statement at Lord’s, in the wake of the publication of the ICEC report

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2023The long-awaited report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket was published on Tuesday, and offered a damning critique of both English cricket, and Marylebone Cricket Club – the hosts for this week’s second Test against Australia at Lord’s.The issues raised in the report have overshadowed England’s preparations for the contest, and at the start of his pre-match press conference, captain Ben Stokes read the following statement.“Just before I start, I want to make it clear I have not read the report as it only came out last night.”To the people involved in the game who have been made to feel unwelcome or unaccepted in the past, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences. Cricket is a game that needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts because without diversity, this game would not be where it is at today.”As a sport, we need to learn from past mistakes and do all we can to make people feel safe and be themselves at every level. I have been an England player since 2011 and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of some incredibly diverse teams and love how everyone has a different story to tell.”We must go further and be more inclusive and diverse because the game I love – and millions worldwide love – should be enjoyed without fear of discrimination or judgement whether that be due to your upbringing, race or gender.”As I said earlier, everyone has a different story to tell. I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state-educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE. I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men’s Test captain.”It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and, as players, we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.”

Jonathan David salary: How much does Canada star earn per week and annually at Lille?

Everything you need to know about Jonathan David's salary details playing for Lille

Canadian forward Jonathan David joined Ligue 1 side Lille from Gent in the summer of 2020 on a five-year contract. David is considered one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, and given his young age, he has attracted interest from several top clubs across the continent.

Known for his strong physique and clinical finishing, David has set himself apart from other strikers, scoring over 100 goals for Lille in just five seasons.

His contract is set to expire in June 2025, and it will be interesting to see where the next chapter in his career will take him.

Despite his consistent performances, David earns a relatively modest salary under his current deal compared to the top earners in the Lille squad. So, how much does the Canadian striker actually earn?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

Jonathan David's wages at Lille in numbers

David's current contract with the French club provides him a weekly salary of £31,888 ($42,754), which is lower compared to the top earners in the team.

His annual earnings total £1.6 million ($2.2m).

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Jonathan David

Canadian

£31,888

$42,754

£1,658,153

$2,223,221

AdvertisementAFPTop earners at Lille

Andre Gomes, a Portuguese midfielder, is the top earner at Lille. He is followed by Belgian full-back Thomas Meunier.

Mitchel Bakker ranks third, with French players Samuel Umtiti and Benjamin Andre completing the top five.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Andre Gomes

Portuguese

£89,122

$119,493

£4,634,325

$6,213,616

Thomas Meunier

Belgian

£74,241

$99,541

£3,860,520

$5,176,113

Mitchel Bakker

Dutch

£65,410

$87,701

£3,401,340

$4,560,452

Samuel Umtiti

French

£52,328

$70,161

£2,721,072

$3,648,362

Benjamin Andre

French

£35,322

$47,359

£1,836,723

$2,462,644

Top earners in Ligue 1

Lille players have high earnings, but Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) leads the league's wage structure.

PSG's dominance in Ligue 1 is evident from the top earners list. PSG players occupy the first thirteen spots, with Adrien Rabiot from Lyon at fourteenth.

Player

Club

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Ousmane Dembele

Paris Saint-Germain

£297,548

$393,131

£15,472,512

$20,442,812

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Paris Saint-Germain

£270,438

$357,312

£14,062,794

$18,580,245

Marquinhos

Paris Saint-Germain

£222,235

$293,756

£11,561,405

$15,275,324

Lucas Hernandez

Paris Saint-Germain

£218,202

$288,296

£11,346,509

$14,991,396

Achraf Hakimi

Paris Saint-Germain

£218,202

$288,296

£11,346,509

$14,991,396

AFPHighest paid players in the world

PSG leads Ligue 1, but none of their players are among the top five highest-paid footballers globally.

The top five are all from the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo has the highest salary at Al Nassr.

Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, is second. Riyad Mahrez, formerly of Manchester City and now with Al-Ahli, is third.

Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,216,155

$4,210,425

£167,250,468

$218,942,120

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,608,178

$2,105,213

£83,625,234

$109,471,060

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£839,469

$1,098,921

£45,652,372

$57,43,893

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£643,271

$842,085

£33,450,094

$43,788,424

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£558,038

$730,509

£29,017,956

$37,986,458

History, momentum in Mumbai Indians' favour as they look to get out of mid-table jam

CSK seem to have run out of gas after being the pace-setters early on, but are still in the top four on the table

Deivarayan Muthu05-May-20235:48

Can Mumbai’s in-form batters overcome resurgent Jadeja and Co?

Big picture – MI have the wood on CSK at ChepaukThe last time Chennai Super Kings lost two home games in the league stage of an IPL season was way back in 2013. After they suffered a last-ball defeat to Punjab Kings last weekend, CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming suggested that the Impact Player rule has allowed teams to go harder at oppositions this IPL – both Adam Zampa and Prabhsimran Singh, who had been brought in as Impact Players for the two games, messed with CSK’s plans and set them up for rare home defeats.But even before the introduction of the Impact Player, Mumbai Indians had breached CSK’s fortress multiple times. In fact, MI have a dominant 6-2 win-loss record against CSK at Chepauk, and are on a six-match winning streak against CSK at the venue.Related

'It's inevitable' – Moody, Shastri on IPL taking over world cricket

Suryakumar shows why he is so difficult to bowl to

MI’s recent form is also encouraging: they’ve won five of their last seven games, with their middle order, in particular, dripping with explosive power and class. Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David and Tilak Varma have all contributed handsomely to MI becoming the first IPL team to hunt down 200-plus totals in back-to-back games. MI also have depth in their spin attack, which will be handy if Chepauk rolls out a black-soil turner.As for CSK, they seem to have run out of gas after having been the pace-setters in the first half of the season. Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu and Moeen Ali are yet to properly fire with the bat while Tushar Deshpande has leaked runs at the death although he has the knack of taking wickets in clusters. Deepak Chahar, who had pulled up injured when CSK and MI last met at the Wankhede, is fit again and could lend some experience and powerplay bite to their attack.A win for CSK on Saturday could potentially take them back to the top two, while a win for MI could see them break away from the mid-table logjam and enter the top half of the standings.The big questionTeam news – Hrithik Shokeen could return for MIMI are usually big on match-ups, so they might bring back offspinner Hrithik Shokeen against a left-hander-heavy CSK line-up. There is no official news from CSK’s camp on whether Ben Stokes is available for selection – he has been batting and bowling in the nets over the past week. Sisanda Magala has also resumed both batting and bowling in the nets, but with Matheesha Pathirana establishing himself as CSK’s go-to death bowler, there is no room for him.Form guideChennai Super Kings: NRLLWW
Mumbai Indians: WWLLWImpact Player strategyAs far as the Impact Player is concerned, CSK have followed a fairly consistent pattern, with Rayudu replacing one of the bowlers when they chase. They could start with Deshpande if they bowl first and replace him with Rayudu in the second innings, or vice versa.CSK Probable XII: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 , 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Matheesha Pathirana, 12 If the Chepauk pitch plays true to its nature, MI could consider using left-arm-all-sorts spinner Kumar Kartikeya as an Impact Player and strengthen their spin attack even further. Suryakumar might make way for Kartikeya if MI go down this route.MI Probable XII: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Cameron Green, 4 , 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Tim David, 7 Nehal Wadhera, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Hrithik Shokeen, 11 Akash Madhwal/Arshad Khan, 12 Matheesha Pathirana has been a revelation for CSK at the death•AFP/Getty ImagesStats and Trivia David has a strike rate of 199 between overs 16 and 20 this season – the highest among batters who have faced at least 60 balls in this phase. Jadeja, in comparison, has struck at only 146 in this phase. MI have the worst death-overs economy rate (13.36) in the IPL. CSK have fared much better in this phase, conceding 10.47 an over. Piyush Chawla has a good head-to-head record against Rayudu in the IPL, having dismissed him six times in 13 innings while giving up only nine boundaries in 53 balls against him. Rohit Sharma holds the unwanted record of having bagged the joint-most ducks in the IPL. Dinesh Karthik, Mandeep Singh and Sunil Narine have also collected 15 ducks each in the tournament.Pitch and conditionsWhile the Chepauk pitches in this IPL have offered some purchase for spinners, the true bounce has allowed batters to hit through the line. The overhead conditions were overcast when MI and CSK started training on the eve of the game and there’s also some rain forecast for Saturday evening.Quotes”We’ve played [Lasith] Malinga in the nets when I came here in Mumbai Indians and that gives us a lot of confidence. He was a legend and we did practice well when he was bowling, so we will just look to watch the ball and play our own game.”

Shimron Hetmyer 'programs mind' to tackle tough chases

“It always helps to practise with the mindset that you’re a couple of wickets down and have to get say 100 runs in eight overs”

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Apr-20232:50

Moody: Hetmyer showed how to navigate a difficult run chase with a calm head

Twelve overs into their chase at Motera, Rajasthan Royals were going at less than a run a ball, and they needed 14 runs an over with four batters already back in the dugout. It seemed lost-cause territory, Gujarat Titans well on their way to their fourth successive win against this opposition. But Shimron Hetmyer, Royals’ big finisher, had been training for just this kind of situation.Related

Rajasthan Royals' hustle trumps Gujarat Titans' pragmatism

Hetmyer counter-attacks to take Royals clear at No. 1

The case for Hetmyer to bat higher up in Royals' line-up

After the game, which, with some help from his captain Sanju Samson, he won for Royals with four balls to spare, Hetmyer explained. “I just practise it really. It always helps to practise with the mindset that you’re a couple of wickets down and you have to get say 100 runs probably in eight overs. You just try to program your mind that way, and so far it’s working.”Samson got things moving in the 13th over, hitting Titans’ lynchpin Rashid Khan for three successive sixes. The following over Hetmyer, on 4 off seven balls at the time, took Alzarri Joseph for a four and a six, and from there the big hits never ceased. Samson fell to left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad in the 15th, but only after taking him for a four and six, before Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel took full toll on Joseph again, going 6, 4, 6 in a 16th over that went for 20. Shami, Titans’ best bowler on the night, managed to prise out two wickets in the penultimate over but was himself dispatched for 16 runs by Jurel and R Ashwin. That left Hetmyer, now on 48 off 24, on strike for the final over, with just seven runs to get, and facing up to the spin of Ahmad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I was actually pretty happy, to be honest, to be facing [a spinner in the final over],” Hetmyer said. “But I think he had bowled pretty well tonight. So I was just thinking, if I can just get a double off the first ball and then just see what happens after that.”What happened was Hetmyer received a short one from Ahmad, and duly pulled it into the stands to seal an improbable chase with time to spare. And this was a win that Hetmyer “really wanted”. “Just really wanted to win against these guys because they beat us three times [in the league phase, in the qualifier, and in the final] last year,” he said. “So it was a kind of revenge really.”It might have seemed improbable from the outside, but Samson said he knew this chase was not beyond his team. “With the start we had while batting [being reduced to 4 for 2], it was very important to know how good a wicket this was. With the quality of bowling they had in the powerplay, we had to respect them.”But we knew at this ground, on this wicket, chasing would be really nice with the power we have at the end.”Titans will take due note. As their captain Hardik Pandya said after the game: “The game is never over till it’s over. So I think this is one more lesson for us.”

Bayern Munich make late move to rival Chelsea's transfer interest in Xavi Simons – but attacker's mind is already made up

Bayern Munich look set to miss out on signing Xavi Simons after the RB Leipzig star reiterated his desire to join Chelsea this summer.

Bayern make fresh enquiry for SimonsSimons only wants Chelsea moveBayern also in talks for NkunkuFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bundesliga giants have been strongly linked with a move for Simons, 22, after the Netherlands international told Leipzig he wished to leave the club following their failure to qualify for any form of European football. And according to Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg, Bayern have since made a fresh enquiry to Simons' camp as they look to gauge his interest in moving to Munich.

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However according to Plettenberg, Bayern have been told Simons only has eyes for Chelsea and is waiting for the Premier League side to agree a deal with Leipzig. The Blues are currently trying to offload players in order to raise enough money to match Leipzig's reported £60 million ($81m) valuation.

DID YOU KNOW?

In what could turn out to be a transfer merry-go-round between the three clubs, the report also claims Bayern are in talks with Chelsea to sign forward Christopher Nkunku. And should a deal be agreed between the two clubs, Enzo Maresca's Chelsea may then have the means to bring Simons to Stamford Bridge.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN, LEIPZIG AND CHELSEA?

Bayern have the chance to earn their first piece of silverware of the new season when they take on Stuttgart in the German Super Cup on Saturday. Meanwhile, Leipzig are set to face SV Sandhausen in the German Cup on the same day, whereas Chelsea will lock horns with Crystal Palace in their opening Premier League fixture on Sunday.

Wolves make approach for "major talent" also wanted by seven other clubs

Wolverhampton Wanderers are pressing on in their hunt for additions and are now advancing as they aim to bolster the forward ranks, according to a report.

Fer Lopez became the Old Gold’s first arrival of the summer window, and Jorgen Strand Larsen has since joined him at Wolves permanently after an excellent loan spell at Molineux.

After putting up a tally of 14 goals and five assists in the Black Country, the Norway international is now fully focused on improving on his exploits next term under Vitor Pereira.

He stated: “It’s been a good first season in the Premier League. I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’ve been able to take the steps earlier than I’ve done before. Previously, when I moved to a new country, I needed more time to get into it and score goals.

“As a striker, the team need you to score the goals and be on the end of the crosses, so to score 14 goals – and come back after my injuries and a little dip of form – it was a good season for me in that respect.”

Now prioritising other areas, Wolves are interested in Udinese defender Thomas Kristensen again after making a £12 million bid for the Dane during the January transfer window.

Wolves now closing in on deal to sign £4m+ colossus who "wants" PL move

The Old Gold have made progress in their pursuit of a “highly-rated” player, who is keen on a move to the Premier League.

ByDominic Lund Jul 2, 2025

Another potential solution at the back for the Old Gold is Brighton & Hove Albion star Igor Julio, albeit it remains to be seen whether the Seagulls will entertain selling to a Premier League rival.

However, despite Strand Larsen deciding to extend his stay, Wolves are now keen to land another centre-forward to star in the new campaign.

Wolves make approach for El Bilal Toure

According to Africa Foot, Wolves have made an approach to sign El Bilal Toure from Atalanta, though the 23 year-old is also wanted by Marseille, Stade Rennais, Paris FC, Como, Villarreal, Galatasaray and West Ham United.

In an injury-ridden campaign on loan at Stuttgart, the Mali international, who was previously labelled a “major talent” by Graeme Bailey, registered three goals and one assist in 17 appearances across all competitions, exactly mirroring his debut season for Atalanta in 2023/24.

Five similar players to El Bilal Toure (FBRef)

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

Marcus Thuram

Inter Milan

Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea

Jonathan David

Juventus (to be finalised)

Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid

Nothing has been determined as yet, but the Serie A outfit are set to decide on Bilal Toure’s next move sooner rather than later as he isn’t expected to be a major part of Ivan Juric’s plans in 2025/26.

Wolves are a little short on forward options after Matheus Cunha’s departure. Besides, there is a suspicion the likes of Hwang Hee-chan, Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic could leave Molineux this summer due to their status as peripheral figures.

Bilal Toure has endured mixed fortunes since arriving in Italy. Nevertheless, a move to the Premier League could be the perfect tonic to get his career back on track.

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