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Federico Chiesa was savaged for his performance in Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat at Plymouth, with the winger looking like an ex-player in a charity game.

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• Italian struggling for form with Reds
• Questions asked of injury record
• Abject display in shock cup defeat

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italy international, who helped his country to European Championship glory in 2021, moved to Anfield from Juventus as part of a cut-price transfer in the summer of 2024. Arne Slot hoped to rekindle a lost spark in the winger despite questions being asked of his injury record.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chiesa has struggled to make an impact in England, with the 27-year-old yet to start a Premier League game. He was included from the off in the cup clash at Home Park, but looked a shadow of his former self throughout a shock 1-0 defeat for the Reds.

• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  It did not take fans of various clubs, including Liverpool, long to tear into Chiesa on the back of his abject showing in Devon.

  @adma23 said: “Chiesa looks like an ex player playing in a legends charity game.” @Jackobrfc999 added: “I'm actually a fan but this Chiesa performance is possibly the worst I've ever seen from a Liverpool player.”

  @M1878D_ hit out with: “Chiesa has got to be the biggest fraud ever.” @TheFergusonWay went on to say: “How did Liverpool spend just €15m on Chiesa and still got scammed?”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  In unfortunate comparisons to other flops, @AmorimBalll_ said: “Chiesa is worse than Sancho. I didn’t think that was possible.”

  @allthatyouget added: “Chiesa is worse than Sterling, someone always has it worse than you”, and @_callumfowler said: “Chiesa wouldn’t get a game for Plymouth that guy stinks.”

Since Chelsea’s new owners arrived in 2022, the Blues have spent big money reconfiguring their squad, making plenty of sales, and bringing plenty of young, exciting talent into the squad.

Of course, there are some great success stories already of this, Cole Palmer being the obvious one to point out, signing for the Blues for around £40m from Manchester City, and already scoring 31 goals in 54 appearances for the club.

Some other success stories are Nicolas Jackson, joining for £32m and scoring 21 goals in 52 games for the club, Malo Gusto, who was signed to deputise Reece James, and has found himself becoming a fan favourite, already playing 44 games for the Blues, providing ten assists and totalling 2,966 minutes.

But some of Chelsea’s signings haven’t been as successful, one of them being Mykhailo Mudryk, who was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, for a fee of around £62m upfront, with add-ons of £27m.

Mudryk's time at Chelsea so far

In his first half-season at the club, Mudryk made 17 appearances for the Blues, providing two assists in his 748 minutes played. In the Ukrainians’ first full season at the club, he made 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals, providing two assists, and totalling 2,015 minutes played.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Mudryk has already got more assists this campaign than in his previous two, getting three assists in his first eight appearances (425 minutes).

The 23-year-old is yet to score this season, but he has shown some glimpses, getting into a few good areas, and creating for his teammates.

The speedster has received some huge criticism since joining Chelsea, with even Maresca disgruntled by his lack of consistency, having stated that “you don’t know if it’s one thing or the other thing”, when it comes to what the winger will do.

It doesn’t help when fans know they could have signed someone else in this position, one of the links being Anthony Gordon, who instead moved to Newcastle, and has smashed it there.

The player Chelsea should have signed instead of Mudryk

In August 2022, Chelsea were pressing to sign Gordon from Everton, with ‘high-level’ talks in progress for the English winger, with the Blues reportedly being ready to pay £60m to sign the 21-year-old at the time.

This deal, of course, didn’t happen, despite continued interest from the west Londoners heading into the end of the January window, with Gordon instead sealing a move to Newcastle that month, for around £45m.

Gordon made 78 appearances for Everton, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists, but it was the youngster’s speed and intensity that earned him plaudits, and had teams such as Chelsea and Newcastle interested, having been hailed as “fearless” by pundit Alan Shearer.

Since his move to the Magpies, the 23-year-old has made 73 appearances, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists, already showing his output levels are increasing with experience and reps.

According to reports from GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle have now slapped a £100m price tag on their star winger, calling the player ‘untouchable’ despite interest from Liverpool. But as the England international continues to go from strength to strength, the likelihood of another club testing the waters soon will keep rising.

Gordon vs Mudryk comparison

Now these two already have comparison links from the very first day, as Mudryk clocked a 36.63km/h top speed against Liverpool at Anfield, on his debut, beating Gordon’s 36.61km/h top speed for that season. But how do the two speedsters compare in other metrics away from speed?

From their first full seasons at their clubs, Gordon massively outperformed Mudryk’s metrics, providing more efficiency with output, a higher shot volume (and accuracy), and more creativity. Mudryk, on the other hand, only outperformed Gordon in his carrying metrics, with more progressive carries, and more successful take-ons, as well as making more key passes per 90.

This isn’t surprising, as Mudryk still has fairly underdeveloped decision-making skills, which affect his output, having fewer goals and assists, but also generating fewer xG for himself and others. However, the Ukrainian does possess brilliant ball striking, an excellent eye for a pass, and an abundance of quality, which still needs to come together fully.

Gordon possibly doesn’t have the same natural talent as Mudryk, but he is an efficient forward, who is relentless in the attacking third, which will force mistakes from the opposition, and give him extra chances to provide goals or assists. His effectiveness both in and out of possession is what makes him so desirable to coaches.

The Englishman has started this campaign in slower fashion, scoring two goals, but not yet providing any assists, in nine appearances and 659 minutes played.

Gordon was described as “superb” last season by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but Mudryk is actually much closer in the metrics this season, than he was last season, which is down to a few things, one being Mudryk’s fewer minutes affecting the metrics, but also Gordon’s slower start in terms of output for the team.

The 23-year-old is yet to register an assist and is only generating 0.18 xAG per 90, whereas Mudryk already has 0.26 assists per 90 (three in all competitions), and is generating 0.58 xAG per 90.

Time will tell if Chelsea made the right move going for Mudryk, as he clearly has bags of potential, but some fans and maybe even people at the club could see Gordon as a big missed opportunity.

Star for his country: 7/10 ace showed why he's the "future of Chelsea"

Enzo Maresca will no doubt have been delighted by what he saw on Thursday night…

By
Connor Holden

Oct 11, 2024

Aston Villa’s momentum in the Premier League stalled once more following a frustrating 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Unai Emery’s side had won three of their last five before the clash with the Cherries, with the result at Villa Park their third draw in four games.

It was a disappointing performance overall for the Midlands outfit, who are normally dominant at home. However, it was not made easy by Andoni Iraola’s side, who were kept in the game thanks to a fantastic performance from goalkeeper Mark Travers.

John McGinn thought he gave his side the lead in the first 45 minutes. However, the goal was ruled out after it was deemed Ollie Watkins did not manage to keep the ball in play. Finally, with 76 minutes on the clock, half-time substitute Ross Barkley broke the deadlock, scrambling the ball over the line after Leon Bailey heeded a cross down.

The late drama did not stop there. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Brazilian forward Evanilson found himself unmarked in the Villa box, heading Marcus Tavernier’s free-kick home to snatch a point for the Cherries.

Although it was a disappointing performance from the Villans, there were still some standout performances throughout the game.

Villa’s best performers vs. Bournemouth

As has been the case for much of the 2024/25 campaign, Youri Tielemans was a standout player for Emery’s side on Saturday afternoon. The 27-year-old was given an impressive 8/10 rating for his work against the Cherries by John Townley, Villa correspondent for Birmingham Live.

As per Sofascore, his stats also suggest he performed well against Bournemouth. The Villa number eight had 91 touches in the middle of the park, and worked well in and out of possession, winning three duels and creating two chances.

Villans goalkeeper Emi Martinez was another player who stood out on Saturday afternoon. The World Cup winner received a 7/10 rating from Townely, who praised him for ‘excellent’ distribution and some ‘smart saves’ he pulled off.

The Argentina number one had some eye-catching stats from the game, too. He had 60 touches of the ball, making two saves and completing three high claims. Martinez also had a 76% pass accuracy and completed five long balls.

As good as the likes of Tielemans and the Villa goalkeeper were against Bournemouth, there were also some disappointing performances from players in Claret and Blue. One of the players who struggled was Amadou Onana.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Onana’s stats vs. Bournemouth

After his major £50m move from Everton to Villa over the summer, Belgian international Onana has looked like a particularly smart signing. He has made eight appearances in the Premier League, starting each one, and has scored twice.

Thus, an off-day against Iraola’s side might be surprising given how he has performed so far this season. The 23-year-old certainly looked out of sorts, struggling to get into the game and surprisingly losing key duels in the midfield. He was subsequently taken off for goalscorer Barkley at half-time.

His stats reflect just how tough of an afternoon it was for the Villa number 24. Onana managed just 42 touches, almost 20 fewer than Martinez. He lost possession five times and won just two of his four attempted ground duels.

Indeed, the Belgian midfielder received a rating of just 6/10 from the aforementioned Townely. He explained that the early yellow card he picked up, after just four minutes, could have contributed to his substitution at half-time.

With the Villans set for a Carabao Cup meeting against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, before a tough trip to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend, Emery might well decide to rotate Onana out of the side.

Not only would this allow for rotation and minutes in the legs of other players, but could also allow the Belgian to start from the bench and find his best form with a busy Christmas period coming up.

Sold under Sherwood: Aston Villa's "beast" is now outscoring Messi in MLS

Aston Villa sold a player in 2015 who is now scoring more than Lionel Messi…

By
Ross Kilvington

Oct 25, 2024

AC Milan right-back Kyle Walker is set to miss key Serie A fixtures after playing through a muscular problem in the Champions League this week.

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• Walker on loan at AC Milan
• Set to miss key fixtures with injury
• Played through pain in Champions League exit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Milan were knocked out of Europe by Feyenoord and look set to suffer another loss, with Walker likely to be absent for at least this weekend's league game with Torino. He has missed training this week and could also be ruled out of the midweek trip to Bologna.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Walker has made six appearances for his new club since signing on loan from Manchester City in January. Any injury is a particular blow considering he is only with the club temporarily until the end of the season – although reports suggest Walker will leave City permanently this summer, with a €5m option included in the deal to make his San Siro stay permanent

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Milan now face an injury crisis at right-back with former Tottenham defender Emerson Royal also on the sidelines. According to Calciomercato, Alex Jimenez is set to start there against Torino.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WALKER AND MILAN?

  Milan face a battle to qualify for Europe next season, sitting seventh in the table heading into the weekend's matches. They need their best players fit as often as possible to give themselves a chance of cutting the five-point gap to fourth.

The “wonderful” Omar Marmoush has reportedly made it his “dream” to seal a move to Liverpool, following a stunning start to the season in Germany.

Liverpool transfer news

Transfer rumours regarding the Reds are coming thick and fast currently, with exciting young Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado the latest to be linked with a move to Anfield. It has been claimed that Liverpool scouts think the 21-year-old could be perfect for Arne Slot’s controlled style of play, bringing poise and technical quality in the middle of the park, completing 91.2% of his passes in La Liga this season.

Another player who the Reds have reportedly scouted is Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who has been one of the Premier League’s standout attacking players in 2024/25 so far. The Cameroon international could be considered an ideal long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, as doubts persist over the Egyptian King’s future.

The lack of a new midfield signing irritated some Liverpool fans during the summer transfer window, and while a move for Martin Zubimendi may now be out of the question, Real Madrid ace Aurelien Tchouameni is a rumoured target for the Merseysiders.

"Wonderful" player dreams of Liverpool move

According to a new update from Bild [via Sport Witness], Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Omar Marmoush has made it his “dream” to join Liverpool and eventually replace Salah.

The report claims that “things look different” regarding the 25-year-old’s current suitors, with the Reds seen as “above all” in pole position in the race to acquire his signature. Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are all thought to be eyeing him up.

With every report that emerges regarding Marmoush, the more it looks as though the Egyptian is a primary transfer target for Liverpool moving forward. The Frankfurt star is enjoying an incredible start to the season, registering a remarkable 16 goal contributions (10 goals and six assists) in just nine Bundesliga appearances, outlining his relentless end product.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Schubert has said of him: “I think that what Omar Marmoush has done in the German League since last season deserves greater praise and attention. Marmoush confirms day after day that he is a distinguished talent and a wonderful player. There is no doubt that his move to one of the big clubs in Europe is very close.”

The future of Salah is such a major talking point at the moment, but even if the 32-year-old ends up signing a new deal at Liverpool, long-term planning is essential, in terms of ensuring the Reds have the perfect successor lined up.

Hopefully, the Anfield legend extends his stay and remains at his highest level for several more years, but he will need to be managed more carefully and a player of Marmoush’s ilk could be perfect to gradually usurp him as time passes.

Fabrizio Romano: £36m Liverpool star on the brink of signing new contract

Fabrizio Romano has dropped a big update from Anfield this week.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 4, 2024

If his form this season is anything to go by, Liverpool would be signing a future superstar who delivers goals and assists consistently, with his peak years still ahead of him.

The winger continues to dazzle in Mexico and his breakout is coming at the perfect time

Alejandro Zendejas might just be the best player in Liga MX. That's not a hot take — it's a fact. He has four league titles and has delivered goals, assists, and trophies to Club America. Not many in Mexico's top flight can touch Zendejas at the level he's been at, particularly over the last few months. He's stepped up in big moments and, as a result, is now receiving big recognition for his efforts.

On Wednesday, Zendejas will lead Club America's charge for yet another trophy: the CONCACAF Champions Cup. It's been nearly a decade since the club last won this trophy. They've won plenty recently, including the last three Liga MX titles but, as always, the CONCACAF Champions Cup holds higher value for America. This is a chance for the club to prove that it is this region's undisputed best. This is a chance, in many ways, to make history.

The club's opening match in this year's tournament will be personal for Zendejas, too. It comes against Chivas, his former club. So much of Zendejas' career has been defined by the three years he spent at the club. His international future, in many ways, was sculpted during his time in Guadalajara and, as he looks back at it now as a superstar in Mexico City, there is still something personal there.

The Zendejas set to face Chivas on Wednesday is a far cry from the player who left Chivas five years ago. Once on the fringes with the , he’s now a key figure for Mexico’s best team, with five goals and four assists in eight league matches — and he keeps getting better. In the weeks ahead, he'll be Club América’s best hope of reclaiming the top spot in North American soccer.

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  A key figure in a trophy-winning team

  Zendejas' breakout has been gradual, but there's no denying it's happened.

  You could trace it back to Necaxa, where he became a Liga MX regular before earning a move to América. Maybe it started in the 2022-23 season, when he hit double-digit goals for the first time. Or perhaps it was the 2023-24 campaign when he scored five goals in continental play. No matter where you mark the beginning, one thing is clear: Zendejas has reached new heights in recent months, helping América add to its trophy haul.

  After recovering from a leg fracture last summer, he emerged as América’s attacking centerpiece. He notched two goals and two assists in the club’s final three games last season, leading them to a third straight Liga MX title with a decisive win over Monterrey.

  He was one of just four players to start all three finals during this dominant run, a testament to his growing importance. But this time, he wasn’t just a key contributor — he was the driving force, the creative spark behind América’s latest triumph.

  And as the new Liga MX season gets underway, Zendejas hasn’t just maintained his form — he’s taken it to another level.

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  Dominance in 2025

  Zendejas has only gotten more dangerous since his late surge last season.

  Since the start of the Liga MX's Clausura season, no player has contributed to more goals than Zendejas, who has scored five and assisted four more. Only Toluca's Alexis Vega and Necaxa's Diber Cambindo have matched that tally of goal contributions, but Zendejas has done so in just eight appearances compared to their 10. It's a ridiculous start to the season and it's one that's been built on consistency. In his eight appearances, Zendejas has scored or assisted in all but one: a Feb. 22 clash with 10-man Pumas that saw Zendejas taken off midway through the second half with the game already out of hand.

  It began with two goals against Santos Laguna early in the season and Zendejas has taken off from there. Now, through 10 matches, America have gathered 23 points, leaving them three behind league-leaders Leon. The two sides faced off on Feb. 19 and, you guessed it, Zendejas scored in what ended up being a 1-1 draw.

  Yet, this week the focus lies solely on America's Champions Cup tie.

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  A matchup that's personal

  After coming through FC Dallas' youth system, Zendejas made his big move to Liga MX by joining Chivas. Once there, he was given a choice: switch to Mexico to abide by the club's tradition or else. He did, at least for a while. Now, years later, he's a full-fledged USMNT regular, although that hasn't come without controversy.

  Zendejas switched to Mexico, played a few games, and then was the subject of an investigation that, ultimately, revealed that the winger had played for without filing a one-time switch. Mexico were forced to forfeit games and pay a fine. Zendejas, meanwhile, returned to the USMNT setup, having gone on to earn 11 caps since committing in 2023.

  Now, Chivas have another American on their team, Cade Cowell. He, like Zendejas, is Mexican-American. Unlike Zendejas, though, he's been allowed to stay with the USMNT program. That fact isn't lost on Club America's star.

  “Pure Mexican? They call [Cowell] 'Vaquero' (Cowboy)," he said. "When I got to Chivas they told me that I could play for the United States national team, so I said 'Come on, I'm leaving, I'm going to a good team, I'll play for the national team'. Then the time comes when they call me up, and they tell me from the United States: 'They're not answering us, contact them'. Well, that's when they told me: 'No, it's all Mexican here, you stay with us or you go to the national team.'"

  Traditionally, Zendejas has found success against Chivas. Despite winning six and drawing four of 15 career games against his former club, he has scored four and assisted another against them. He'll look to add to those numbers during the two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 clash, which begins on Wednesday in Guadalajara and concludes on March 12 in Mexico City. Sandwiched between that? A third meeting between the two teams in Liga MX. These two sides are going to be getting very familiar with one another, not that Zendejas isn't already.

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  Looking ahead

  By the time this three-game set against Chivas concludes, all eyes will then turn towards the CONCACAF Nations League. Zendejas was named to the USMNT's 60-player squad, and it would be stunning if Mauricio Pochettino opted to leave him off of the final 23 when the time comes. When you have a player in this sort of form, you get him in the team, even if starting minutes will be hard to come by for Zendejas due to the presence of Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah on the wings.

  The Nations League could, ultimately, lead back to another duel with Mexico. Zendejas nearly came to blows with members of during the USMNT's loss in Guadalajara last fall with a substitute performance that likely would have endeared him to new boss Pochettino. First up for the USMNT will be Panama while Mexico and Canada duel on the other side. Win or lose, either way, the CONCACAF Nations League will bring fireworks.

  That's what Zendejas has been bringing nearly every time he steps on the field: Fireworks. The goal contributions are piling up, as are the trophies. Now, as he heads into a vital stretch for both club and country, Zendejas has proven he's a difference-maker, one that could help lift Club America and the USMNT to more silverware going forward.

Gary O’Neil is under increased pressure as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Even though the Old Gold won their first game of the season against Southampton last time out, thanks to a goal and assist from star man Matheus Cunha, their manager is still under fire with his side sitting 19th in the Premier League.

They have certainly started worse than people may have thought, including Phil McNulty, BBC Sport’s chief football writer. In his pre-season predictions, he predicted them to finish 15th, explaining he believes “Wolves can avoid danger”. Whilst there is still some way to go this campaign they haven’t made the best start.

A big reason for their struggles this term is their poor defensive record.

Wolves’ defensive stats

Wolves’ biggest weakness this season has undoubtedly been their defensive frailties, and it is a real cause for concern. They have comfortably conceded the most goals in the top flight this term with 27. That is five more than any other side, with Ipswich Town and Brentford the two closest sides who have both conceded 22.

They have conceded five or more goals in a single game twice this season. One of those came against the Bees, losing 5-3 in London.

The other instance was also against a London side, this time Chelsea, who beat them 6-2 at Molineux, in one of the most frustrating performances under O’Neil.

Their home record is certainly a cause for concern. As per Understat, the Old Gold have conceded 14 of the 27 goals at Molineux, three more than any other side. Their expected goals-against tally at home is currently 10.44xGA, with the 3.56 difference between that and the number of goals they have conceded at home the worst in the Premier League.

It is certainly a real issue that the Old Gold have such a leaky defence. As Sir Alex Ferguson famously said, “attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”. Whilst the Midlands club are not attempting to win the Premier League, a more watertight defence would certainly help their survival bid.

With that in mind, they may regret the sale of a former defender who is now worth so much more than what they made for him. That man is Nathan Collins.

Collins' value in 2024

The Irish defender joined Brentford for £23m back in July of 2023. At that time, the Old Gold were managed by Julen Lopetegui, who left around one month later, with O’Neil being drafted in as his replacement.

He only played one season at Molineux before swapping the Midlands for London in 2023. In total, the defender made 31 appearances, including 26 in the Premier League, although never managed to find the back of the net for Wolves.

Since making the move to the Gtech Community Stadium, Collins has become a pivotal player under the tutelage of Thomas Frank. The Republic of Ireland international has so far played 38 games for the club, managing to get on the score sheet three times, with one of those goals coming this season against the Old Gold.

Given the defender is just 23 years of age, it is clear that the Bees signed a player for both the present and the future. He was described as a “complete and dominant” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also compared him to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

Looking back on it, the Old Gold might regret selling Collins. Not only did he join a Premier League rival, but his value has since shot up. According to CIES Football Observatory, the defender is now worth as much as £46m, an increase of roughly £23m from what they sold him for.

O’Neil might well wish he still had Collins in his ranks to call upon, given their defensive frailties this term. Not only could he have helped sure things up at the back for Wolves, but they could have even sold him on for a far larger sum than what they did.

Dawson 2.0: Wolves want "monstrous" £79k-p/w star who can replace Mosquera

Gary O’Neil would be overjoyed if this defender joins Wolverhampton Wanderers in January.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 14, 2024

The U.S. beach squad, a mixture of ex-pros and futsal stars led by an Irish coach, now on the brink of a fourth straight World Cup

You can see them in a strip of beach in Miami, every Saturday, rain or shine – kicking a soccer ball around on the golden sand. It’s thick and deep. You can’t really run. Sometimes it’s just 10 players. Other times, the numbers reach 20. The rules are simple: five a side, goalkeepers get involved in the play, no offsides.

The goals fly in as the sun rises. There is always music blasting, maybe a swim at the end, and then it’s back to normal life. Remove the sand, swimming and sunrise, and it’s the kind of pick up soccer that happens anywhere and everywhere, on pitches, courts and grassy fields around the globe.

But for Nico Perea, defender for the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team – and two-time national player of the year – it’s the perfect way to stay sharp. He is one of a select few athletes in the U.S. who compete in beach soccer at an elite level. He has 34 caps for the national team, in fact, and has played in the World Cup – yes, there’s a World Cup for beach soccer – and is a mainstay at the back for the reigning CONCACAF Champions.

Still, this is a wild bunch, a mixture of ex-pros, indoor stars, and soccer-lovers – some with no apparent background in beach football whatsoever – piecing together a squad capable of competing for the United States.

“I didn’t even know this was a ‘thing’ at first,” Perea told GOAL. “But you’re telling me I can represent my country at it? It’s a dream come true.”

• United States Soccer
  

  Where they come from

  Beach soccer is not a full-time profession in the United States. Some of the players also compete in professional indoor soccer. Others have normal day jobs and then train by themselves. Perea works a corporate job in Miami, then spends his nights working on his passion.

  Alessandro “Sancho” Canale, the second-all-time leading beach goalscorer for the U.S., has his own clothing brand, advises other brands, plays for an indoor team in Washington, and also finds time to kick a ball around on the beach.

  The national team players are paid a daily rate – a relatively recent development, at that – but rely on income from elsewhere to pay the bills.

  “Probably half the time that I've been on the team, we weren't getting paid, and maybe the first four years, or five years,” Canale said.

  But make no mistake, there is a real professionalism here. Beaches are rented for a minimum of four camps per year. And the new United States Soccer training center in Atlanta will feature separate facilities for the sport on sand.

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  How it all works

  Beach soccer differs from the beautiful game in its traditional format. There are five players on each team, including the goalie. And that’s more or less where whatever similarities end.

  There is no half time – games are played in three 12-minute periods. There is no offside, and throw-ins can be kicked off the ground. Everyone is barefoot. Bicycle kick goals are so common that a rule had to be implemented preventing defenders from touching opposing forwards when they are off the ground (it makes the highlights immaculate viewing.) The ball is in the air a lot of the time – passing on uneven sand is largely unpredictable.

  In most cases, the pitch has to be cleared of pebbles and shells before kickoff to prevent injury. Goals are smaller than usual, just six yards across. The pitch is tight, too, roughly 40 yards long and 30 wide. Substitutions are done on a rolling basis, making this thing look far more like shifts in ice hockey than soccer. No one can run on sand for a full game. In a matchday squad of 12, most – except the backup goalie – can expect to play.

  A baseline of skills are applicable from 11v11 soccer, but the best players tend to be experienced in futsal or small-sided soccer. Still, this is its own thing.

  “It is unlike any other sport – and unlike outdoor soccer, it's unlike indoor soccer,” Canale said.

  And the sport is global. Beach Soccer Worldwide was founded 1994, and sponsored, officially, by FIFA in 2005 – 142 different countries have registered national teams. A World Cup has been held every other year since FIFA’s endorsement. The best teams are who you might expect: Brazil, Portugal, Spain. But Russia, Japan and Italy are all strong in their own right.

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  'I was just looking for a team'

  The U.S. team, meanwhile, are ever-improving. The last FIFA rankings had them at No. 15. Part of their challenge is that there is no professional infrastructure for the game in the United States. Perea’s pickup may be a scenic, idealized version of the game, but for a long time, it’s how many learned to play.

  But the lack of an official organizing body – outside of the U.S. national setup – has given rise to some wonderful stories, and unique talents. The U.S. national team consists of a group of former USL players, ex-college talents, and futsal stars.

  Perea, for one, stumbled across the game when his career had reached a dead end. He was a part of USL Championship side Indy Eleven in 2019, and still looking for a club when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered sport around the world. With nowhere to play, he moved back to his native Miami. And there, an opportunity arose.

  “I was just looking for a team, talking to my agent, trying to feel out the situation. And then the pandemic hit. Everything shut down. As you know, there was not much to do. The league was in a pause, and I was back home in Florida,” Perea said.

  He reverted back to all of the things he had done as a kid – running on the beach, training on the sand. He used to go out to the ocean with his father in his youth, practicing headers into the water and working on his touch as the waves broke. A friend introduced him to beach soccer in full. Perea was told there would be a training session on the beach. Perea agreed to attend – without the crucial clarifying detail as to what exact sport he might be playing.

  As it turned out, the session was run by the then-beach national coach Francis Farberoff. He was using the games as a quasi-scouting session. There were players from all over the world, Perea said, including Europe, Latin America and the U.S. But the man on the sidelines paid special attention to the Americans. Perea, a commanding center back with an excellent first touch, was swiftly invited to play for the team.

  “Once they told me about the opportunities, like, ‘Hey, we travel, we play important competitions, you get to be home,’ I was just like, ‘Let's just try this beach thing out,’” Perea said.

  For Canale, things were more complicated. The forward was at a crossroads in his career, soon to transfer from Santa Monica City College to UC San Diego to pursue 11v11 soccer. Upon the recommendation of a friend, he was introduced to Eddie Soto – then the U.S. beach head coach.

  Soto told Canale that he needed extra players for a scrimmage in Seal Beach – two hours away from his native Venice. Canale, ever desperate to kick a ball, made the drive on the promise of a couple of hours of fun. This was not, Soto insisted, an official invitation to the camp.

  Still, Canale impressed in the first scrimmage, and stayed the night before playing in the second. By his third day with the team, he was wearing a U.S. national team training shirt and in Soto’s plans for the squad.

  There were issues, though. College soccer season was approaching. Canale was still enrolled at UCSD and had a winter of 11 a side ball to play. He managed to negotiate around it, and represented the U.S. at the beach World Cup that winter.

  “I wasn't really sure if it'd be the best move for me to go,” Canale admitted. “But at the end of the day, like it didn't make sense to not. It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.”

  Back to front, the whole thing took three months before Canale was kicking a ball in Tahiti.

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  'I was delighted to have the opportunity'

  Beach soccer really wasn’t a thing where Ian Carry was raised. He grew up in Ireland, and played at a professional level in Scotland before going into coaching. Stints in indoor football followed, with a few caps for the Irish National Team as a goalkeeper.

  In 2007, Carry returned to Ireland with a promise that, this time, he would stay.

  “I moved from Scotland back to Ireland in 2007 and was never, never, ever going to move again. This is it. Final stop,” Carry said.

  So much for that. A friend in the game invited him to coach college kids in America over the summer. Given his coaching career in the Celtic, Carlisle United and Dundee United senior setups, as well as a variety of academy age groups for the Irish national team, it made sense – if only for a summer holiday.

  Then, a job opportunity arose: head coach of Central Michigan University women’s team. Carry broke his own promise, moved to America, and hasn’t looked back since. Jobs at the University of Kentucky and Charlotte Soccer Academy – where he is currently in a full-time role – followed.

  Beach soccer happened by chance. In November 2022, Stuart Sharp, an old friend who works for U.S. soccer, told Carry that the Beach team needed a goalkeeping coach. Carry’s response? Why not? There was, admittedly, one problem: Carry had never played beach soccer in his life.

  “I was like, awesome. I was delighted to have the opportunity,” Carry said.

  He worked his way through the ranks from there, served briefly as interim head coach, and after changes at the federation, was invited to apply for the role full time in early 2024. His club coaching career needed to be negotiated. But he figured everything out with his other job, and after impressing in his interviews, was named head coach in July of that year.

  “Not everybody gets the opportunity to say that coach of a national team, let alone, the U.S. national team,” Carry said.

  For Carry, there was an issue with the competitiveness around the team. He wanted to foster a sense of intensity among the group – which he believes has the talent to compete at the World Cup. His immediate solution was to gameify everything. Soccer trivia is a staple of his camps. Players are required to rank each other player from most to least competitive.

  For Canale, Perea and co., it’s a driving force.

  “I love the fact that he brought that in,” Perea said. “It brings the competitiveness out of everybody to know that in every single situation, every single play, every single moment, you should be going 100 percent.”

  When they go home from camp, and are sent training regimens, they are required to match – or, ideally, beat the statistic set from previous meetups collected by the team’s performance scientist.

  “With a staff that ticks every single box there's no stone unturned,” Carry said. “We just need to put these guys into the best possible physical shape and mental state. And then technically and tactically, from the coaching standpoint, we go to give them the best opportunity to be successful.”

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has voiced his frustration at Erik ten Hag's sacking and given his verdict on new boss Ruben Amorim.

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• Ten Hag signed Hojlund for Manchester United
• Striker disappointed to see Dutchman leave
• Reveals what he thinks about new boss Amorim

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United sacked Ten Hag in October 2024 after a dismal start to the season and replaced the Dutchman with Amorim. Ten Hag spent two-and-a-half years in charge of the Red Devils and won a League Cup and an FA Cup but was unable to build a team capable of challenging for the Premier League title during his time at Old Trafford despite bringing a host of big-money buys to the club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Red Devils will be hoping Amorim can restore the club to its former glories. The Portuguse coach has largely struggled to improve results so far, as he tries to implement a new system amid something of an injury crisis, and has his team currently down in 13th place in the table. Hojlund, who was signed for United by Ten Hag, has admitted he was disappointed to see the Dutchman leave the club but is excited to now be working with Amorim.

• WHAT HOJLUND SAID

  According to , he said: "I’m focused on the task with Ruben, because that project is incredibly exciting, but Erik was of course one of the reasons why I moved to Manchester United. He was doing something good and was a talented coach, but it didn’t work out, and that’s how it is. I’m still very happy to be at Manchester United. It’s the club I’ve always dreamed of playing for. And I’m really happy for Ruben. He’s a cool character and a cool person."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hojlund recently ended a 21-game goal drought for United. His strike in the 3-0 win over Leicester was his first for the Red Devils since December 7 against Nottingham Forest.

Chairman Daniel Levy has set the price tag as sources close to a Tottenham star hold a serious belief that Man United are about to bid for him, with their new manager Ruben Amorim looking to make a splash in the dugout at Old Trafford.

Spurs players who look set to leave in 2025

There is interest from Real Madrid in the likes of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, as the Galacticos seek the arrival of an emergency new centre-back.

Tottenham worried £60m player could be out until 2025 with Wilson Odobert

Another headache for Ange Postecoglou.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 20, 2024

Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao are both out for the rest of this season with anterior cruciate ligament tears, dealing a major selection headache to Carlo Ancelotti, while David Alaba remains on the comeback trail from his own ACL problem.

This has led to Real considering a move to sign Romero from Tottenham, while there has also been tentative interest from Ancelotti in van de Ven, according to some reports out of Spain in the last few months.

The likelihood that manager Ange Postecoglou green-lights a departure for either centre-back is slim at best, but perhaps Levy could be tempted by a mouth-watering offer.

Meanwhile, Spurs players much more likely to leave next year are Alfie Whiteman, Fraser Forster, Ben Davies and Sergio Reguilon. All four players are out of contract next summer, and there are even reports that Reguilon could terminate his Tottenham contract and depart for La Liga in January.

Reguilon is training with the first team but hasn’t been handed a single minute in all competitions, all whilst failing to make a single Premier League matchday squad.

Spurs are also expected to green-light a Leipzig return for Timo Werner, as Levy and co edge towards the decision of severing ties after his loan deal. The Lilywhites have an option to sign the German for just £8.5 million, but concerns surround his wasteful finishing in front of goal, so perhaps letting him go back to the Bundesliga is best for Postecoglou’s side.

People close to Pedro Porro convinced Man United will make Tottenham bid

According to a report by Spanish newspaper AS, right-back Pedro Porro is attracting interest from Man United and Man City.

Real have been linked with Porro as well, but the Spaniard’s form under Postecoglou in this past season-and-a-half is also turning heads in Manchester.

AS write that Porro’s agents at Tottenham are convinced Man United will bid for him, with Amorim’s side interested in providing the 25-year-old a route back up north, where he once plied his trade in Sky Blue.

However, Levy won’t let him go on the cheap. The former Sporting Lisbon star’s price tag is at least £58 million, so United and INEOS will need to invest heavily.

“It’s brilliant and well deserved – he’s been outstanding all year,” said Postecoglou on Porro being called up to the Spain squad earlier this year.

“He’s worked awfully hard on his game on both the offensive and defensive side. We’ve obviously put some different demands on that position, but he’s adapted so well and credit to him, he’s worked really hard.

“He never let it get him down at any stage, the fact that he wasn’t part of the national team, I think it’s well-deserved and hopefully he gets an opportunity to show what he can do.”