That closes the live blog for today. The day was always likely to come. There may be many more to follow.

Strong thoughts from Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian’s resident Manchester City fan.

It’s called Cityitis – shorthand for our tendency to self-destruct when things appear to be going well. In fact we won trophy after trophy. But we continued to sing the song about going down with a billion in the bank. When the financial fair play investigation was launched in 2018, the chant got louder. Then in 2023 we learned there were more than 100 charges. The chant became even louder and more cavalier. And now that our grubby, griftin’, cheatin’ chicken has come home to roost, you can bank on one thing (if banks still deal with us) – the chanting will be louder and more cavalier than ever.

Kevin O’Dell gets in touch: “Stefan Borson (18:21) has some fair points regarding the potential impact on Man City. My question, more generally, is the impact on the Premier League. The rules, and their implementation, are down to the clubs to agree. The Premier League in its present form is not fit for purpose. This, to my mind, is why the PL might steer clear of big sanctions as they will only reflect on, and magnify, their inadequacies.”

Enigmatic social media from Pep Guardiola’s successor as Manchester City manager, Enzo Maresca.

“Time to breathe.
Time to analyse.
Time to learn.”

Manchester City and the Premier League have fought battles before, over rules that limit the ability of top-flight clubs to sign sponsorship deals with companies related to their ownership.

It was always maintained this was a separate case to the 134 charges and hostilities eventually ended.

“The Premier League and Manchester City FC have reached a settlement in relation to the arbitration commenced by the club earlier this year concerning the Premier League’s associated party transaction (APT) rules, and as a result have agreed to terminate the proceedings,” the parties said in a joint statement.

There has been no such joint statement today. Or seems likely in the near future.

Hasan gets in touch: “This process is already resembling something akin to an episode of The Sopranos - part high drama, part sinister intrigue, part hilarity. It’s funny enough that the firefighting hotshot lawyer hired by City went by the name Lord Pannick, and that somehow the club was found innocent with regard to one single offence among the 115 charges.

“Now the Premier League, never to be outdone for slapstick, is insisting that this is a “private and confidential process”. I suppose they’re going to request that anybody reading the headline news splashed across all outlets today kindly put their devices down, cover their ears, close their eyes and start shouting “la-la-la-la-la!” You’ve got to laugh.”

Stefan Borson, a former Manchester City employee – before the 2008 takeover – who has been across this story for media outlets, had this to say to the BBC: “It’s incredibly serious. A complete finding for the Premier League clearly makes it even worse. You’ve now got a situation where this is going to go to a sanction hearing, which will look at what the punishment should be.

“It will be going with the worst possible set of circumstances to that sanction hearing, City guilty of everything. With built-in aggravating factors such as the non-cooperation, the nature of the charges that we believe are now proved or such that they will demand very severe punishment.

“And when we see the five, six, seven-hundred-page decision, you can expect it to say some really quite serious things about the people who have given evidence and the way in which Manchester City have behaved.”

The prime minister, Andy Burnham, has been asked about the Manchester City developments.

He told ITV Granada Reports: “I’ve only just been made aware of it – I think these are reports at this stage. But if they’re confirmed, obviously I will want to look at the report of the independent commission.

“People shouldn’t jump to those kind of conclusions. I know, this has been a long process between the club and the Premier League. I think quite a contested process. So I don’t think it’s as simple as jumping to conclusions. I think we would all need to study the independent commission’s report in some considerable detail before reaching any conclusions.”

Dame Caroline Dinenage, the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, also said: “The reports about the Premier League’s findings against Manchester City FC have profound implications for our national game. The extraordinary length and cost of this process raise serious concerns, and the affair again gives rise to questions about financial fairness across the football pyramid.

“The matter must be allowed to take its course and due process must be followed, but I sincerely hope any further stages are completed as swiftly as is reasonably possible.”

It’s international break time, lest we forget, and Paul MacInnes reports on the Ireland v Israel double-header in the Nations League.

Previous punishments, via the Press Association.

2023-24: Everton and Nottingham Forest

Two clubs were sanctioned over breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules in season 2023-24, exacerbating relegation fears at both – although they ultimately survived. Everton were deducted 10 points on one charge, reduced to six on appeal, and then docked a further two points on a second charge, making eight in total. Forest were deducted four points and failed in an appeal.

2021-22: Derby

Wayne Rooney’s Rams were left facing an impossible fight to avoid relegation from the Championship after a 12-point deduction for entering administration was followed the stripping of a further nine points for financial irregularities.

2009-10: Portsmouth

Pompey had nine points taken from their tally after entering administration, effectively condemning them to relegation after a seven-year spell in the top flight.

2008-09 Luton

The Hatters, then in League Two, crashed out of the EFL after being stung with a record deduction of 30 points. Ten of these were imposed by the Football Association for making irregular payments to agents and a further 20 came from the EFL for failing to satisfy its insolvency rules.

2008-09: Bournemouth, Rotherham and Darlington

In what was a grim year for such matters, Bournemouth, Rotherham and Darlington were docked 17, 17 and 10 points respectively after going into administration.

2007-08: Leeds

The gloom that had enveloped Leeds for years, seeing them slump from the Premier League to League One amid a seemingly endless financial crisis, deepened as they were deducted 15 points for breaking insolvency rules.

1996-97: Middlesbrough

Boro were deducted three points for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn, the club claiming they did not have enough fit players due to a virus in the camp. It proved controversial – and highly costly – as they were relegated by two points.

1990-91: Arsenal and Manchester United

The Football Association clamped down hard after a brawl broke out involving 21 players during a clash between the Gunners and United at Old Trafford. Arsenal were deducted two points and United one, but it did not prevent the London side going on to win the First Division title.

1989-90: Swindon

Swindon’s joy at winning the 1990 Second Division play-off final – and promotion to the top flight – proved shortlived as they were immediately demoted two tiers for making illegal payments to players. The punishment was later reduced to a one-division demotion, leaving them back in the second tier while Sunderland went up instead.

Some lawyer comment via the Press Association:

“Paul Stothard, a partner at global law firm Norton Rose Fullbright: “This result, if upheld, will open the floodgates to further legal challenges.

“Manchester City being found liable for 114 out of 115 rule breaches means that other clubs may choose to pursue compensation for lost revenue, missed European qualification or relegation – though they would need to be able to prove how City’s breaches impacted on their own ability to compete and their quantifiable loss.

“The outcome underscores the need for regulatory mechanisms in professional football and, moving forward, could help reshape how football governance balances commercial interests with the principles of fair play in what is now a multi-billion-pound competition.”

Kavan Bakhda, a partner and head of the sports group at Mishcon de Reya: “If the charges against Manchester City are proven, this would be the most significant disciplinary decision in the history of English football.

“However, it is important not to get ahead of the formal process. We have yet to see the independent commission’s written decision, the reasoning behind its conclusions and, crucially, what sanctions might follow. The detail of the written decision will matter enormously.

“If Manchester City has been found guilty of the alleged breaches, attention will now turn to the nature and severity of any sanction. The Premier League’s rules provide for a wide range of potential sanctions, from financial penalties and points deductions through to, in the most extreme circumstances, expulsion from the competition.

“Any appeal could add a further significant stage to the process. Until the commission’s decision is published and any appeal has been determined, it will be difficult to assess the full consequences for Manchester City, the Premier League and its clubs.”

Business as usual on the Manchester City official socials, with this release timed for 5.30pm UK time: “Say hello to Little Beast, another addition to @MedlockSQ‘s restaurant collection! 🍽️ The menu evolves with the seasons, reflecting the changing produce, flavours and stories each full moon brings and is open every day 8:00-20:00 (UK) 🌙”

Looks delicious, to be fair.

Jake gets in touch: “Let us take today’s decision as a moment to reflect on the serious reforms that must be made in football. The staggering number of financial improprieties that Manchester City have been found guilty of has irreparably damaged the spirit of the game. The sacred trust we supporters have in the ideal of fair play is now worn threadbare and in dire need of repair. All we can hope for is that the Premier League has the ability to restore our faith that this beloved game is being played on as even a field as possible and that, going forward, athletic merit alone will be the deciding factor in determining success.”

An updated explainer on the Manchester City case, via Paul MacInnes and Jamie Jackson.

What are the accusations?

In February 2023 the Premier League charged the club with more than 100 rule breaches, after investigating the club since 2019. The charges cover four areas: a failure to give “a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”; a failure to “include full details” of player and manager remuneration; breaches of national and continental financial fair play regulations; and a failure to “cooperate with, and assist, the Premier League in its investigations”. The counts have been heard by a three-person independent commission, with the process starting in September 2024.

While we rubberneck the City situation, some stories you might have missed.

A lucky escape?

Via the Associated Press: City did not confirm the decision, saying its case with the Premier League was “ongoing” and yet to be completed. City, however, would appeal a guilty decision and the process would take several months, a person with knowledge of the situation told AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to respect confidentiality elements of the process.”

As further background, a David Conn background piece from 2020, on the original Der Spiegel Football Leaks case.

The emails, splashed by Spiegel with evident relish across a series of exposés, punched into City’s expertly and expensively created modern image in three broad areas relating to Uefa’s financial fair play rules, which were introduced in 2011 to deter clubs from overspending.

First, and most damaging, were emails and accounting documents which appeared to show that City’s owner, Sheikh Mansour, of the Abu Dhabi ruling family, was mostly funding the huge, £67.5m annual sponsorship of the club’s shirt, stadium and academy by his country’s airline, Etihad. That created a perception that the Abu Dhabi hierarchy, in their drive to mega-spend on City attaining elite status while somehow complying with FFP rules, had deceived Uefa in their financial submissions. This serious trouble for City sprang from a tiny number of emails, a fraction of the documentary dump provided to Spiegel by its source, Rui Pinto.

NB: Following the publication of the leaks, City refused to respond at all to Spiegel, the rest of the media and to Uefa, until the IC, having initially responded uncertainly, decided it had to investigate. City denounced the use of the emails as “out-of-context materials purportedly hacked or stolen”, and alleged there was an “organised and clear attempt to damage the club’s reputation”.

What sanctions may await? Some recent case law, via Reuters: “Everton were docked a total of eight points during the 2023-24 season after two separate breaches ​of the Premier League’s Profitability and ‌Sustainability Rules, while Nottingham ​Forest were deducted four points for ​a breach of the same rules in March 2024.

“Newcastle United narrowly avoided potential sanctions after selling players before a June 30, 2024, financial reporting deadline to comply with spending regulations. The allegations against City are far broader and cover more than a decade, making the case unprecedented in scale. Lawyers, club executives and supporters across the league have spent years awaiting a verdict.”

From a Premier League rights holder: “Sky Sports News understands that the process is moving to the appeal stage. The Premier League is not commenting as this is a private and confidential process. It will not be providing any guidance.”

That suggests a long way to go in this process. To the lawyers, the spoils?

Jack Crosby gets in touch: “I know it is fun to see who came runners-up in the competitions which City won, but it does really open a can of worms in reallocating winners unfortunately.

”Take the 2017-18 season. United finished second, just 4 points ahead of Spurs. Both United and Spurs played deep into the FA Cup, and will have rested players ahead of their semi-final match-up which will have impacted their league results. If they were in a title race, the league games would definitely have taken priority over the FA Cup, and so reallocating a winner in a season where the race for 2nd place was relatively insignificant to what else was on offer for the clubs involved is nonsensical. Liverpool were 6 behind United and their end of season league form was atrocious as they prioritised the Champions League run which saw them lose to Real Madrid in the final.

“Unfortunately, the entire Premier League has been brought into disrepute. City should be stripped of their titles and removed from the league, but the titles should not be reallocated. The league should mark “No Winner” or “No Champion” as a permanent reminder of their negligence in allowing City to do what they did, and of City’s guilt.

“Just as the Tour de France has done so with drugs cheats, they have owned up and said “our sport was not clean, and we are as responsible as anybody for that” - the honour roll will always remind people of that.”

Steven Grundy gets in touch: “Do you think that the Premier League can survive this? Surely this decision voids all the special moments, notably the “Agueroooo” moment. If I were, say, head of Sky Sports, I would be livid.”

Feels like Georgie Thompson’s voiceovers may need to be re-recorded on the Premier League Years.

Leading the City team was David Pannick KC, one of the foremost barristers of his generation, renown for representing the rich and powerful. Previous clients include Queen Elizabeth II, Boris Johnson, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and more than one billionaire sheikh.

Lawyers may not earn as much as the Erling Haaland’s £500,000 a week but Pannick charges a none too shoddy £5,000 an hour. In 2019, Pannick charged £407,250 for defending Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, a former Qatari prime minister, involving a two-day trial, which the crossbench peer did not attend.

Some quotes from 2023 as the charges were brought. The wait since has been lengthy.

10 February 2023

Pep Guardiola: “It’s ⁠the same as what happened after Uefa (charges), ⁠these are just charges. With Uefa the club proved ​it was completely innocent. We are lucky we live in a marvellous country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

24 May 2023

Guardiola: “Let’s go. Don’t ⁠wait two years. Why don’t we do it quicker? In 24 hours, sit down with lawyers present. Let’s have it as soon as possible for the benefit of everyone,” he said.

19 June, 2023

City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak: “I hope people focus and judge them [the players] ⁠for their football, what they’re achieving on the pitch and what they’re achieving in every competition they’re in.

David Howell also got in touch: “Fifth in 2019-20, fifth in 2020-21; all else being equal (ceteris paribus, as the lawyers would no doubt put it), that’s two Champions League cash injections denied to them by Abu Dhabi, and how different does that club look now in an environment where they get those?”

John Welsh gets in touch: “The list of alternative winners between 2008 and 2023 makes quite fun reading...

• 2010–11 FA Cup: Stoke City

• 2011–12 Premier League: Manchester United

• 2013–14 Premier League: Liverpool

• 2013–14 League Cup: Sunderland

• 2015–16 League Cup: Liverpool

• 2017–18 Premier League: Manchester United

• 2017–18 League Cup: Arsenal

• 2018–19 Premier League: Liverpool

• 2018–19 FA Cup: Watford

• 2018–19 League Cup: Chelsea

• 2019–20 League Cup: Aston Villa

• 2020–21 Premier League: Manchester United

• 2020–21 League Cup: Tottenham Hotspur

• 2021–22 Premier League: Liverpool

• 2022–23 Premier League: Arsenal

• 2022–23 FA Cup: Manchester United

• 2022–23 Champions League: Inter Milan

“Congrats to Alex Ferguson, Brendan Rogers, Jurgen Klopp, Mikel Arteta, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on your league titles. Well done to Dean Smith, Maurizio Sarri, Erik ten Hag, Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino, Gus Poyet, Tony Pulis and Javi Gracia on your cup wins, as well as to Simone Inzaghi for ending Italy’s long Champions League drought.”

Stepping away from Manchester City briefly, this story, via AFP: “Switzerland has lost a second player from its Nations League squad because of years-old cases of fake Covid-19 documents .

“Breel Embolo will not join the squad in Scotland as planned, the Swiss soccer federation said Friday, due to fresh reporting in national media about his past case of obtaining forged test certificates in 2021. This decision aims to allow the team to remain fully focused on the next matches,” the federation said about the Atlanta United forward.

“Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka agreed with team officials last weekend to withdraw from the squad because he is implicated in an investigation of a doctor issuing fake vaccination certificates during the Covid-19 pandemic. Xhaka, the Swiss record holder with 152 caps, admitted getting the forged document in 2022 and accepted he made mistakes.”

Further detail from our news story:

“The unprecedented catalogue of charges related to five distinct areas of alleged rule-breaking. More than 80 charges related to a club’s obligation to act in “the utmost good faith” when relaying information to the Premier League and to give complete disclosure of any information requested. These claims pointed towards the league’s belief that City had given an inaccurate picture of the club’s financial situation and withheld documents that might have cast greater light on it.

“The rest of the charges related to alleged breaches of profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) and the related Uefa financial fair play regulations. Finally, 20 charges related to the club’s obligation to provide “full details of … remuneration”, with breaches being claimed in the rules relating to the payment of players and managers.”

Via Reuters: “The Premier League declined to comment. ‘It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all,’ a spokesperson said.”

Further detail, this via Reuters.

The Premier League referred City to an independent commission in February 2023 ​over alleged breaches of finance rules spanning ‌the 2009-10 to 2022-23 ‌seasons. The club have consistently denied wrongdoing.

Among the most serious allegations was ‌that City failed in each season from 2009-10 to 2017-18 to provide accurate financial information giving a “true and fair view” of revenues, including sponsorship income, and operating costs.

City hired lawyer David Pannick to lead their defence, while the Premier League was represented by Adam Lewis KC, according to ‌British media reports.

The hearing began on September 16, 2024, and concluded nearly three months later on December 6. The case was ​heard by an independent commission composed of three judges appointed by the independent chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel.

Ah well, there’s always Oasis 2027 on 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26 June. Will the Etihad be a Premier League ground? Will the case be closed by then? So much left hanging, including why we got to hear about this now, when details remain so sketchy.

How now to view these key moments in the City timeline? City fans may not, but the wider world will view with an asterisk. There are legal avenues to follow but who can speak for the court of public opinion?

Remember this quote from Jürgen Klopp, Guardiola’s big rival, from 2024 when asked about the interminable legal process on City’s charges: “If you organise a bus parade – I’m in! How long it takes, I don’t care!”

Could be a big night out in Liverpool. City won the title by a point in 2018-19 and 2021-22.

If this story has a whistleblower, it is Rui Pinto, aka “John”, who obtained the leaked documents. Worth noting at this point that City, in the Uefa case said those documents came from “illegal hacking and out of context publication of City emails” as part of an “organised and clear attempt” to smear the club.

City have always denied wrongdoing, they say is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence”.

Further background from AFP: “The root of suspicion came from leaked documents published by German outlet Der Spiegel back in 2018. Emails purportedly sent between top City executives showed the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from Abu Dhabi state-controlled airline Etihad and telecoms firm Etisalat by disguising direct investment from Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group as income.

“Other documents claimed to show off-the-books payments to then manager Roberto Mancini via consultancy fees from a club in Abu Dhabi. If City are found guilty, sanctions are likely to include a severe points deduction and possibly even expulsion from the Premier League.

“Everton and Nottingham Forest were both hit by points deductions in the 2023/24 season for single breaches of profit and sustainability rules.”

These comments from Pep Guardiola, from 2019 and 2026, seem pertinent.

He departed City in the summer.

Worth mentioning at this point that City were banned from the Champions League in February 2020, and that Uefa ban was overturned in the Court of Arbitration for Sport later in 2020.

Will City be stripped of titles? The 134 breaches of competition rules took place between the seasons 2009-10 and 2022-23, during which they were English champions seven times, their 2023-24 title coming after that. We can only speculate at this point, with neither Premier League nor club releasing a statement to confirm.

Speculation will be wild over what the sanctions might be, and City’s peer clubs are likely to have their own thoughts. Thursday saw a Premier League meeting between stakeholders. Consider the compensation that Everton were ordered to pay Burnley this summer, for example.

Further background via the Press Association: “City were referred to the commission in February 2023, at a time when they were en route to the third of four consecutive Premier League titles.

“The investigation which ultimately resulted in more than 100 charges being laid started back in 2018. City had been charged with failing to report accurate financial information for nine seasons stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18, as well as failing to provide full details of former manager Roberto Mancini’s pay between 2009-10 and 2012-13.

“They were also charged with failing to provide full details of remuneration in contracts with players between 2010-11 and 2015-16, and with failing to co-operate with the investigation over a period from 2018 to 2023.

“The club said at the time the charges were laid that they welcomed the opportunity for a commission “to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of our position”. Four months after the charge was issued, the club won the Champions League for the first time in their history. The commission hearing began on September 16, 2024.”

That an appeal by City has not been launched or heard means this long process, beginning with revelations from Der Spiegel in 2018, is not at an end.

An explainer here from 2024.

Via The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Manchester City have said this: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023. The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

A similar statement has run on The Times. Much more to follow … much more.

With that my watch has ended, I hand over to John Brewin who will take you through to the fixtures later on.

This is a good read:

Harry Kane added that Spain do play a particular way with possession and England players aren’t taught the same from a young age. But he says England have attributes Spain don’t and said:

I think it is important to have our own indentity and not get caught up in other teams. That isn’t to say you can’t take things from other teams like probably club football you do as well. But ultimately it is about being England and showing our identity, especially in the bigger games as well.

Michael has emailed his Taylor Swift entry:

Sheffield United’s trophy cabinet is just a Blank Space.

Five withdrawals came in the latest England squad for the team’s upcoming Nations League games. Thomas Tuchel was asked if he is looking into how to stop a potential culture of choosing club over country:

First of all we trust our players and second of all I think the players know very well that if you miss a camp and if someone else is good in your position the competition will always be on. The door is always open and you have to make sure to be available and produce top level performances in camp and if you do so that counts for something.

Right now there is nothing to do. It is not on my list of worries. I am not wired like this. It is what it is. From the moment I arrive at SJP [St James’ Park] my full focus is on the staff and players. That is how I am wired. There is not threat, there is no distrust and there is no threat of consequence. It will come naturally.

I think we have the opposite, everyone is desperate to come. You talk to our captain who has the most minutes in club and country who is happy to be here while some teammates of him are enjoying a seven or two day break but he wants to be here. That is the role model that we have at the moment so there is no concern.

While we wait for Tuchel and Kane, have a read of the report from Australia’s almost famous victory over Brazil:

Josh has emailed and got involved with my niche Taylor Swift request. He says:

Given the relentless narkyness directed at Arteta-ball last season (and the pressure of 3 second placed finishes) I was impressed by the team’s attitude - just shake it off. They know financially compared to petro-teams they are dancing with their hands tied but for those of us in red that just makes it sweeter than fiction - karma almost. When you earn it like we did it hits different. Though I admit sometimes our manager behaves like the smallest man who ever lived.

I bow down to you, so many references packed into one email.

The England manager Thomas Tuchel and captain Harry Kane are due to speak this afternoon before the Lions take on Spain tomorrow. We will bring you any top lines from that when they drop.

This is an interesting read:

This may be quite niche but Taylor Swift has released new music today, in form of a Taylor song which best describes your relationship with your club? Spurs fans do you now have Bad Blood? Everton supporters was it a Cruel Summer? Let me know by emailing me.

Some more news on Kai Havertz: As we know Havertz has returned to Arsenal but it is for a hamstring injury picked up during Germany’s 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in the Nations League on Thursday night. Early indications are that the issue isn’t serious. Arsenal will hope the forward is available after the international break.

Kieron Dyer has been chatting about his career and England football days:

Thank you Tom, I have returned after having some cheese on toast myself. Let’s dive straight back in…

With that, I’m off for a bit of a lunch but luckily Sarah Rendell is here to take over.

I know it’s only a friendly, but Australia have taken the lead against Brazil Queensland. My Australian colleague Martin Pegan has minute-by-minute coverage of that one here:

De la Fuente brings insatiable Spain to England knowing World Cup is not enough

“I’m going to tell you a story,” Luis de la Fuente said. “As soon as the game finished on 19 July, before anyone had cooled down at all, just two or three minutes after the final, one of the players – and you’ll have to forgive me for not telling you which one, but it was one of those who has been with us for the longest time – came up to me and said: ‘Mister, now what? What’s left to win?’ And I said: ‘Bloody hell, the game against England at Wembley on 26 September.’”

It was a Friday afternoon at Las Rozas and Spain’s coach had just named his first squad since that day in New Jersey. It was a familiar one, full of history makers. Of the 26 from the World Cup, only four had been left out and there was an explanation for each: Marcos Llorente has announced his international retirement; Joan García is injured; Borja Iglesias, who always felt the likeliest to leave first, is not fully fit; and Gavi is suspended for Wembley, although he could have faced Croatia and Czechia.

Read Sid Lowe’s full feature:

With Brian Brobbey also getting injured in the game against Germany, the Netherlands have called up Joshua Zirkzee as cover.

Beckham takes £39m dividend as World Cup deals drive record profits

David Beckham has taken a $51m (£39m) dividend from his business empire fuelled by a series of deals with brands for the Fifa World Cup.

Beckham appeared in about a dozen ad campaigns across this summer’s tournament in the US, working with brands including Lenovo, McDonald’s, Bank of America, Verizon and PepsiCo’s crisps brand Lay’s.

The World Cup work helped to fuel a record year for DRJB Holdings, the commercial company for Beckham’s brands business, where revenues surged by a fifth to $110.5m last year, from $92.3m in 2024.

Pre-tax profits also climbed to a record $65.7m, a 46% increase on 2024.

Full story:

Absolutely HUGE David Beckham news incoming…

Bellamy: ‘Koumas belongs on international stage’

Craig Bellamy said the Liverpool forward Lewis Koumas deserves to perform on the biggest stages after defeat to Portugal and promised to make changes for Sunday’s visit to Denmark.

Wales, who fly to Copenhagen on Saturday, lost their Nations League opener after Joao Felix scored the only goal in Lisbon. Koumas, who started the game on the left flank, spurned a golden chance to equalise late on but Bellamy was impressed by the 21-year-old. “I was looking at him and I thought he was outstanding,” Bellamy said. “I was thinking: he belongs here, he belongs here. There’s your headline.”

Koumas has also made a big impression on Andoni Iraola and his staff, featuring in five of Liverpool’s seven matches this season. When it was put to Bellamy that Koumas, who spent last season on loan at Birmingham and Hull, decided to stay at Liverpool this season to prove himself, Bellamy interrupted: “No, they kept him on at Anfield. You don’t get the choice to stay. If they want to keep you, they keep you. They thought he was too good, he ain’t going [anywhere].”

Bellamy acknowledged Wales expended a lot of energy in defeat at Jose Alvalade Stadium, where Cristiano Ronaldo won his 234th cap. “We are going to need to change players,” he said. “The turnaround is so quick, so demanding, we need to change players and we will do.

“They’re running machines [Portugal], that’s why they’re at this level. You don’t always pick up on the intensity – if you pay £140m for a player, you’re paying for his running level as well as his ability. A lot of these players are game-ready and they have a ridiculous intensity to match.”

Thanks Sarah, to get things rolling for my stint on the blog, I have an update from Ben Fisher in Lisbon…

I’m going to take a break for a few hours but I leave you in the company of Tom Bassam.

More on that Infantino news from earlier here:

“It’s a very good comparison,” James Garner says, and he is not kidding. It came from Thomas Tuchel in March after the England manager had watched the Everton midfielder impress on his international debut against Uruguay. He was up against Federico Valverde and Tuchel went big with his praise. Garner was a “mini Valverde”, he said after the 1-1 draw at Wembley.

It was surely too much, despite the prefix that Tuchel attached, yet it was possible to see where he was coming from. Like Valverde, Garner wants to operate in central midfield but he can play at right-back or on the wing. And like Valverde, who they called El Pajarito – or the Little Bird – when he was a kid, Garner can sometimes fly a bit under the radar.

The Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has sent an ominious message to the rest of world football: what they did at the World Cup isn’t enough to keep them winning. The coach said:

This team won’t stop; it wants more and more, to be the best. I will tell them that too. What we did at the World Cup is not enough to keep us winning games or to beat England. You have to be better. That’s our culture and our mentality, our attitude, so I have no doubts and no worries.

Read more here:

US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino says he regrets not being “more involved” in the situation surrounding US forward Folarin Balogun at this summer’s World Cup.

Balogun was given a red card after a challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemović, which by rule is accompanied with a one-game suspension. Balogun’s ban for the next game against Belgium was suspended after the US Soccer Federation and US president Donald Trump lobbied Fifa, with Trump saying that he personally placed a call to Fifa president Gianni Infantino to ask the ruling be reviewed. Infantino maintains that the decision to reinstate Balogun was made independently by Fifa’s disciplinary committee.

The entire affair cast a pall over what had been an otherwise positive tournament for the US to that point. Belgium’s players and coaches said in the wake of it that it provided extra motivation ahead of the match. Balogun himself later spoke of having felt uncomfortable with the attention the situation placed upon him.

Wrexham have confirmed that Humphrey Ker is stepping down from the club’s board and as a trustee. Ker was a key part of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac buying the club five years ago and has continued to play a role during their promotion successes.

Ker, who was a part of the Disney documentary about the club, said:

Working for and representing Wrexham AFC and the wider town has been the greatest honour of my life.

I am proud of the part I have played in the Club’s remarkable journey, both on and off the field.

There was controversy over the coverage of the Women’s Champions League earlier this week, this is a great piece from Max Rushden on the topic:

Australia and Brazil are playing one another in a friendly with kick-off less than an hour away, you can keep up to date with all of the action here:

Anthony Gordon has sided with Thomas Tuchel’s assertion that controlling games through possession is not part of English football’s DNA. Although Gordon revealed surprise at being substituted when England were 1-0 up in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, the winger refused to blame the defeat on Tuchel’s decisions and argued that wider cultural issues influenced the side’s collapse.

England’s perennial struggle to keep the ball when under pressure flared when a place in the final was within touching distance in July, allowing Argentina to fight back and go through with two late goals. The pain has not gone away and there has been intense scrutiny of Tuchel’s role in Atlanta. The head coach’s tactical choices were criticised and he faced a backlash after saying “ball possession” was not in his team’s DNA.

One of the best players in the world right now is Raphinha and Sid Lowe sat down with him about life at Barca, read here:

The Premier League may be on an international break but there are some English domestic games happening this weekend in the Women’s Super League. There are some big matches too with two derbies.

Liverpool host Everton, while Arsenal travel to Chelsea in some tasty fixtures. Here is the full line-up (all times in BST):

• Charlton Athletic v Manchester City, Saturday, 1.30pm

• London City Lionesses v Brighton, Saturday, 5pm

• Manchester United v West Ham, Sunday, 1pm

• Birmingham City v Crystal Palace, Sunday, 2pm

• Liverpool v Everton, Sunday, 2pm

• Tottenham v Aston Villa, Sunday, 2pm

• Chelsea v Arsenal, Sunday, 4.30pm

The Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A have issued a joint statement calling for reform at Fifa. In a rare coordinated move, the leagues have criticised the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, making reference to his abandoned World Cup sell-off plan – the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme – and the Folarin Balogun affair.

The four leagues have taken aim at Fifa’s “relentless expansionism” and said leagues, together with national associations, clubs, and players, need a greater role in decision-making.

“Football’s longstanding foundations have, in recent years, been threatened by a fundamental governance problem, whereby Fifa’s president has actively promoted exploitative ideas rather than safeguarding against them,” the statement said. “And while football’s stakeholders ultimately forced the withdrawal of the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme, the conditions that led to FFE remain.

“The Fifa president has now acknowledged the need for reform, but it is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE – fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within Fifa, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference.”

There was a comic-strip feel to another eventful evening in the kingdom of Cristiano Ronaldo. Where to start? It was the 67th minute when his No 7 went up on the fourth official’s board, the cue to remove the captain’s armband from his left bicep before departing to a universal ovation, but for the pocket of Wales supporters.

The referee, Donatas Rumsas, hurried him off the pitch but Ronaldo, his hair glazed copper, was presumably ruminating on a series of missed chances, a sitter from a few yards at the start of the second half, and his disallowed goal, after skating offside to latch on to a Bruno Fernandes pass. The grandiose “Siu” celebration went to waste, though try telling that to the locals who worship him.

Some news from yesterday’s games:

Some football fans thought they were going to see Dele Alli return to the pitch as Barnet FC teased a post on X that said “We’ve got….”, using Alli’s chant from his time at Spurs. Instead it seems the club were teasing the anniversary of their manager, Dean Brennan, joining the club five years ago. That would have been a generational signing if it were what supporters were thinking.

There were news reports that Alli would train with Barnet but it is not confirmed when that would take place.

Erling Haaland scored seven goals at his first World Cup this past summer and in his first Norway game since that tournament he was on the scoresheet twice in a 3-2 win over Denmark.

The first was a first-touch finish after being set-up by Antonio Nusa and his second saw him turn home the ball from a corner.

Germany drew 1-1 against the Netherlands yesterday but the headline news from the game is Kai Havertz picking up an injury. The Arsenal star came off after 30 minutes with a muscle problem and Jamal Musiala also came off with an injury. The Germany manager Jurgen Klopp said post match:

The negative highlights are obviously the two injuries to Jamal and Kai.

Both are muscular injuries. Jamal’s happened before the game and Kai’s relatively early in the game. At the moment they’re either still having an MRI, on the way there or already finished. But we don’t have any results yet.

Nations League fixtures (all times in BST):

• Georgia v Northern Ireland, 5pm

• Armenia v Latvia, 5pm

• Sweden v Romania, 7.45pm

• Montenegro v Cyprus, 7.45pm

• Hungary v Ukraine, 7.45pm

• Italy v Belgium, 7.45pm

• Turkiye v France, 7.45pm

• Poland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7.45pm