45 h. ago Poland manager Probierz quits after Lewandowski refuses to play under him

Striker was upset at way he had captaincy taken off himProbierz says his departure is ‘for the good of the team’Michal Probierz has resigned as Poland’s manager, days after Robert Lewandowski said he would no longer play for the national team under him.Lewandowski, Poland’s record goalscorer, said his trust had been betrayed and that he was very hurt by the way Probierz told him he was being replaced as the captain. The 36-year-old Barcelona striker said on Monday he received a short call from Probierz as he was putting his children to bed and that a statement about him losing the captaincy appeared soon after on the Polish football association’s website. Continue reading...

Politics

66 h. ago Mauricio Pochettino said the US can win the World Cup. Now they can’t even win a game

The Americans have now lost four matches in a row, and the World Cup is one year away. Serious questions are starting to emerge about their high-profile coachIf you’re wondering why there seems to be so much hand-wringing over the US men’s national team’s current form, consider where head coach Mauricio Pochettino set the bar when he took over.“We need to really believe and think of big things,” he said in his introductory press conference in September. “We need to believe that we can win, that we can win all [the] games. We can win the World Cup.” Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago Does US soccer really need four first divisions? The answer isn’t necessarily ‘no’

Men’s and women’s leagues have announced plans for rapid growth. But secession and expansion have long been central elements of US sportsBetween this summer’s Club World Cup, next year’s World Cup, the enduring stature of the US women’s national team, and MLS’s steadily growing stable of teams and star attractions, soccer finally appears to be realizing its vast promise on US soil. Is there a limit to how much soccer America can handle? Several organizations are betting that the answer to that question is “no”. In late April, the National Women’s Soccer League – the oldest and biggest first division professional women’s league operating in the US today – announced plans to launch a second division, despite concerns over the first division’s financial sustainability and the NWSL’s slipping status in a women’s club game increasingly dominated by Europe.That announcement came on the heels of news that the Women’s Premier Soccer League, the longest-running active women’s soccer league i...

Politics

3 d. ago The US men’s national team has more of the last thing it needs: sports dad drama

The continued fallout from Christian Pulisic’s decision not to join the USMNT this summer has exposed the incestuousness of elite soccer in the United StatesThe United States men’s national team need a number of things. Some wins, after losing three straight games from March’s Concacaf Nations League through Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Turkey. A bit of momentum or indeed excitement for next year’s World Cup on home soil. A clear identity, or at least a rediscovery of the kind of grit that once made this team competitive. A goalscorer.The one thing the Americans do not need is another episode of parent-driven drama. But that’s what they have.Leander Schaerlaeckens is at work on a book about the United States men’s national soccer team, out in 2026. He teaches at Marist University. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Manchester United's exciting youngster scores for Gibraltar national team

Man Utd youngster James Scanlon has made strong progress in the academy and he represents Gibraltar's national team.

Sport

4 d. ago Robert Lewandowski left ‘betrayed and hurt’ by coach in Poland captaincy row

Veteran refuses to play ‘as long as coach remains’Coach Probierz: ‘In football, you can’t get offended’Robert Lewandowski has said that he has been left feeling “betrayed” and “very hurt” by the head coach of the Polish national team, Michal Probierz, after quitting the setup because of a row over losing the captaincy. The Barcelona striker was stripped of the armband on Sunday by Probierz, who has appointed the midfielder Piotr Zielinski as captain instead.Lewandowski then announced he was quitting the national team on social media, citing a “loss of trust in the coach”, refusing to return to play for his country “for as long as [the coach] remains in charge”. Probierz has been in charge of Poland since 2023, with Lewandowski leading the team at Euro 2024 last summer. “I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world,” the 36-year-old said. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Football Daily | Dilly ding, dilly dong! Italy press the big World Cup panic button again

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!When Italy were humbled by Norway in their opening World Cup qualifier on Friday night, the response from Gazzetta dello Sport was as measured as you would expect. “ENOUGH!” screamed the pink paper’s front-page headline the next day, while the lengthy howl of anguish over which it appeared declared that the country’s “World Cup is already at risk”. While Luciano Spalletti had been bullish in the immediate aftermath of his knack-ravaged side’s 3-0 defeat in Oslo, on Sunday he cut a far more forlorn figure as he appeared alone before a bloodthirsty press-pack to preview the qualifier against Moldova, unaccompanied by any of his players or even a simpering national team media handler.Taking into account the circumstances and a loss of trust in the coach [Michal Probierz], I have decided to resign from playing for the Poland national team for as long as he remains in charge. I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the ...

Politics

4 d. ago Robert Lewandowski refuses to play for Poland ‘as long as coach is in charge’

Veteran quits team after being stripped of captaincyRecord cap holder cites ‘loss of trust in coach’ ProbierzRobert Lewandowski has quit the Polish national team, saying he will not return to play for his country while the current manager remains in the role. Michal Probierz, who has been in charge of Poland since 2023, replaced Lewandowski as captain with Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski on Sunday.“Taking into account the circumstances and a loss of trust in the coach, I have decided to resign from playing for the Poland national team for as long as he remains in charge,” Lewandowski, 36, wrote on social media. “I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world.” Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Russell Martin needs radical Rangers change but bold James Tavernier captain call divides Monday Jury

Record Sport's top team tackle the big issues with the national team as well as the future for Rangers under Russell Martin

Politics

5 d. ago Spain vs Portugal live: Result and reaction as Ruben Neves scores decisive penalty Nations League final

Portugal 2-2 Spain (5-3 on penalties): Roberto Martinez’s men are the first team to win the Nations League twice

Sport

5 d. ago Portugal vs Spain LIVE: Nations League final match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Plenty on the line as two European heavyweights meet at the Allianz Arena

Sport

5 d. ago Steve Clarke directly addresses Scotland flak as he tells the disgruntled 'I don't need to be loved'

The national team head coach has came under more pressure from some fans in the wake of Friday's dismal defeat to Iceland

Politics

6 d. ago Harry Kane saves listless England’s blushes as Andorra frustrate Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel had demanded a convincing win and a performance without doubts. The England manager wanted to suffocate Andorra in this World Cup qualifier; to see his team attack cohesively, to unpick the low block of the nation that sits 173rd in the world rankings. So much for the wishlist.This was the end-of-season game that Tuchel had tried to talk up, mainly because he has so few matches to drill his players before the finals next summer. He was keen to see some energy. And yet his words failed to stir very much. Yes, England won, as they always do against Andorra. Yes, they did so without conceding, as they always do against Andorra. And yes, it is now three wins out of three for Tuchel, with no goals against. But it was not possible to get excited. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Five dead and girl, 2, injured as gunmen open fire on group watching football match

A crowd had gathered at the Nueva Buena Fe cooperative in Buena Fe in Ecuador to watch the national football team play when armed attackers stepped out of a car and began shooting

Events

6 d. ago Steve Clarke's Scotland goalkeeper options laid bare as 3 potential solutions for Liechtenstein emerge

The national team are without Craig Gordon, Liam Kelly, Zander Clark, Angus Gunn and Robby McCrorie through injury

Politics

8 d. ago Benjamin Sesko makes national team decision after 'secret' Arsenal transfer meeting

Benjamin Sesko is a top transfer target for Arsenal this summer, but the striker has now been forced to make a decision on his future with national team Slovenia

Sport

8 d. ago Team from Cumbernauld school celebrate winning Girls National Handball Championships

St Mary's Primary School recently installed a new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) as part of a broader plan to replace old red blaes pitches across North Lanarkshire.

Culture

8 d. ago Andy Robertson reveals why Scotland squad has come under friendly fire from Steve Clarke

The national team are preparing for their upcoming double-header against Iceland and Liechtenstein

Events

8 d. ago Man Utd forward reveals 'credible option' on table as loan transfer addressed

The forward has been training with the Canadian national team after being invited on camp with Craig Bellamy and Wales

Events

9 d. ago Lee Carsley extends contract as England U21s manager through to end of 2027 Euros

Carsley enjoyed a brief stint as senior national team manager after Gareth Southgate’s departure

Politics