Will Infantino try to restate a case for Russia when he addresses Uefa Congress? Either way, it's likely to be an event where what's said raises more eyebrows than anything done. The reckoning for most of football's geopolitical hot potatoes is coming, but not yet www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Will Infantino try to restate a case for Russia when he addresses Uefa Congress? Either way, it's likely to be an event where what's said raises more eyebrows than anything done. The reckoning for most of football's geopolitical hot potatoes is coming, but not yet www.theguardian.com/football/202...

For anyone interested who might have missed it – a visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the "miracle" that sparked the legendary book by Joe McGinniss. There are conflicted reactions to it, even now. But this is a tale of how time both shapes and preserves. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

For anyone interested who might have missed it – a visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the "miracle" that sparked the legendary book by Joe McGinniss. There are conflicted reactions to it, even now. But this is a tale of how time both shapes and preserves. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Can miracles happen twice? A visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the achievement made globally famous by Joe McGinniss. Everything has changed but, meeting some of the book's old characters, it's as if nothing has at all. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Can miracles happen twice? A visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the achievement made globally famous by Joe McGinniss. Everything has changed but, meeting some of the book's old characters, it's as if nothing has at all. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Portsmouth have now managed twice within a month not to get a game on against Ipswich – not acceptable in the Championship in 2026.

Infantino claims Russia’s global football ban has achieved nothing and should be reversed. But it has, hasn’t it? It is only nation banned from the world’s most-popular sport and that has to sting, it’s a very visible consequence of what’s happened. Reminder fifa largely forced into this ban

Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Dynamo Moscow claim their second team beat German club Rott-Weiss Wittlich in a friendly today – a game the latter don't seem in a rush to publicise. Hard to recall any/many similar match-ups involving Russian clubs over the past four years ...

😬 Newcastle pull off an impressive draw v PSG. 🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men. @maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social

Bodø/Glimt the single-handed saviours of European football.

For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

A World Cup boycott over Trump? Football’s hypotheticals cannot be dismissed any more | Nick Ames

UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Scandalous, astonishing end to the AFCON final (if indeed it’s the end).

What happens when you let AI write match reports? You end up with reports for games that never happened. Levante v Villarreal was postponed due to bad weather but according to this site it was played, finished 0-0 and was very dull. They even awarded a man of the match! www.bwin.com/en/news/post...

In case you missed it, yesterday's interview with Michel Platini: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Utterly insane VAR offside there even by VAR standards. It’s so very, very boring.

The narrative about London crime is truly so BORING to Londoners. Those of us who walk & travel around our city safely every day, every night. The likeliest daily risk to Londoners is of being ripped off by our landlord or somewhere charging us £4.50 for a coffee. #r4today

Statement from the RC Strasbourg Supporters' Federation (FSRCS) on Liam Rosenior's move to fellow BlueCo-owned club, Chelsea.

Your portal to a time when Ruben Amorim was still Manchester United manager: www.theguardian.com/football/aud...

Any questions for the panel? @maxrushden.bsky.social @barryglendenning.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social Seb Hutchinson 👇👌🎙️

On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”

On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”

Not sure anyone still does this but here are five pieces I particularly enjoyed working on in 2025. First, with Bodø/Glimt exploring the traditions that underpin an astonishing tale: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Win for Parma against Fiorentina this lunchtime has made it three in five for them & Cuesta. A very young, reshaped squad is clawing its way from the relegation zone. Their manager’s story below, if you missed it.

Interview in Italy with Carlos Cuesta, the 30 y/o Parma head coach & Arteta confidant. He has a fascinating story. On percolating ambitions in mum's coffee shop, climbing the ladder via social media, the empathy in young managers & toughest decision of his life: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Interview in Italy with Carlos Cuesta, the 30 y/o Parma head coach & Arteta confidant. He has a fascinating story. On percolating ambitions in mum's coffee shop, climbing the ladder via social media, the empathy in young managers & toughest decision of his life: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Zvonimir Boban on Dinamo, freedom, forms & materials, Ceferin, his legacy at Fifa/Uefa – and, of course, Infantino & World Cup draw. "Disrespectful and irresponsible, I couldn’t watch it ... Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.” Interview in Zagreb: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Zvonimir Boban on Dinamo, freedom, forms & materials, Ceferin, his legacy at Fifa/Uefa – and, of course, Infantino & World Cup draw. "Disrespectful and irresponsible, I couldn’t watch it ... Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.” Interview in Zagreb: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Big interview with Zvonimir Boban in Zagreb. On his stormy departure from Uefa, the shame of Infantino's peace prize and why galvanising his beloved Dinamo will be the final task of an incredible life in football: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Big interview with Zvonimir Boban in Zagreb. On his stormy departure from Uefa, the shame of Infantino's peace prize and why galvanising his beloved Dinamo will be the final task of an incredible life in football: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Bits going round about Russia returning to international football through FIFA U15 event – but it's worth noting their U15s & younger age groups have actually played in numerous UEFA development tournament games since February 2022. Here's one example from September: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP77...

Chelsea had a great opportunity to put a foot in the knock-outs but now face the spectre of 21 games before the end of February. Report from Bergamo: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Chelsea had a great opportunity to put a foot in the knock-outs but now face the spectre of 21 games before the end of February. Report from Bergamo: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Two excellent finishes in two games now – Norway's latest stellar export has lift-off.

Declan Rice: best player in Europe, for the best team in Europe. It’s still early *but* - it would take something (else) new and unusual to leave Arsenal empty handed this season: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Declan Rice: best player in Europe, for the best team in Europe. It’s still early *but* - it would take something (else) new and unusual to leave Arsenal empty handed this season: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Valerenga, in Norway, want anti-doping rules changed after an extraordinary case that saw a player in their women’s team test positive for a stimulant that came from an artificial pitch’s rubber crumb: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Valerenga, in Norway, want anti-doping rules changed after an extraordinary case that saw a player in their women’s team test positive for a stimulant that came from an artificial pitch’s rubber crumb: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Sindre Walle Egeli's first taste of English football was heartbreaking: at seven, he travelled to Anfield but found family's tickets were fake. Now he aims for better memories at Ipswich. Interview with Norway's highest youth scorer & Championship record signing: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Sindre Walle Egeli's first taste of English football was heartbreaking: at seven, he travelled to Anfield but found family's tickets were fake. Now he aims for better memories at Ipswich. Interview with Norway's highest youth scorer & Championship record signing: www.theguardian.com/football/202...

This week has been an antidote to power club football. Make do and mend teams, full of faulty parts giving their people a night or two of glorious delirium.

Hope the "thank goodness the Premier League is back!!" takes are kept to a minimum this week – the past few days has been football at its best & purest.