
Connected Club Cup 2023 introduces first ever women's FIFA tournament
The Connected Club Cup 2023 is introducing a women's tournament for the first time.
2023-05-18 20:27

Jude Bellingham focused on winning everything as he targets trophies not records
Jude Bellingham says his career arc is evidence of the mindset that anything is possible as the England teenager looks to win it all. From homegrown hero with Birmingham to teenage star at German giants Borussia Dortmund, the 19-year-old midfielder’s inexorable rise shows few signs of abating. There are few more exciting prospects in world football than Bellingham, who has already established himself as a key component for trophy-hungry England and was named Bundesliga Player of the Year after just missing out on the league title. “The goal has always been winning,” Bellingham told the PA news agency. “When you ask me what my biggest ambitions are in the game, it’s to win everything. And I’m not afraid to say that. “You know, everyone should have that goal I feel like as professional footballers. “I’ll do my best to try and make it happen and if it doesn’t then it won’t be because I haven’t worked hard for it. “But, yeah, I’d say records and stuff and individual records don’t excite me like trophies do, so I think that’s the goal for me.” Bellingham, who was speaking before the Bundesliga finale, knows individual honours and records may well come along the years, with England team-mates often suggesting he could break Peter Shilton’s 125-cap record given he has made 24 appearances already. But accomplishments like that are at the back of his mind as he looks to maximise his ability and opportunities. “Football’s my life, really,” said Bellingham, who hopes to inspire the next generation in his role as ambassador for the McDonald’s Fun Football programme – a programme that provides free, inclusive football coaching for children aged five to 11 across more than 1,500 locations in the UK. “I think I’ve put too much into it so far just to stop and accept that I’m going to play at a certain level and only going to win so much. “So, I feel like the mentality that my parents and friends around me have always put into me is go after everything.” That mindset and his whirlwind journey to date means he has little chance to take stock on his career – something he hopes to do with family and friends this summer. “There are things I had to deal with as part of German life,” Bellingham said of the move to Dortmund in 2020. “I probably dealt with that more behind the scenes than in front of cameras and stuff like that, so I’m really grateful that I had such good people around me. “I had good club staff at the time, obviously I had Jadon (Sancho) who was here before me from England and he kind of showed me the ropes and made me feel comfortable. As soon as I was comfortable, really, I just let my football do the talking.” Bellingham has certainly done that, thriving in BVB’s famous black and yellow shirt with his leadership qualities helping him to become the youngest ever player to captain the side. “I think the key to that has been availability,” Bellingham said in a self-deprecating manner. “I think because I’m available a lot of the time it means that I’m on the pitch and I can show what I do every game. Whilst the team around me gets rotated, I’m more of a mainstay. “I think you gain respect from that, in all honesty, and obviously my performance has been good enough to warrant that. “The coach must have seen other things that he likes to give me that responsibility and whenever I’ve played, I don’t think the armband changes me. “So, yeah, you’re taking a little bit more responsibility, but I enjoy it. It’s a beautiful pressure that you want on you that I wanted since I started playing football. “Especially in the Champions League games – it’s the biggest stage, for me – and to have that pressure is really enjoyable.” Bellingham takes a lot of pride in his path from St Andrew’s to Signal Iduna Park. Life in Germany has been eye-opening and his success there has silenced those that attempted to dissuade him from fulfilling his lofty aspirations. When put to Bellingham that he seems to have the mentality that anything is possible, he said: “Well, I think that I am kind evidence of that, really. “I think if I didn’t have that mentality I wouldn’t have been able to get from the Championship to where I’m at now, thankfully, in the space of two or three years. “When you’re saying it three years ago everyone’s calling you naive and telling you that you need to slow down a little bit. “But when you put your mind to it and you work hard at it, it doesn’t seem so crazy when it actually happens. So that’s the goal for me to try and continue to chase my dreams.” :: Jude Bellingham was speaking at a McDonald’s Fun Football session to announce his role as an ambassador for the UK’s largest grassroots participation programme for 5-11 year-olds. Find your nearest free session at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/football Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jude Bellingham determined to inspire the next generation of footballers Leeds confirm Sam Allardyce will not be staying on as manager De Bruyne v Casemiro and Haaland v Varane – The key FA Cup final battles
2023-06-02 17:27

Julen Lopetegui thrilled with Wolves progress since his first clash with Everton
Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui admitted that a lot has changed since the last time his side played against Everton. They host the relegation-threatened Toffees at Molineux, with Sean Dyche’s team lingering above the drop zone in 17th. Saturday’s clash is the reverse fixture of Lopetegui’s first game in charge of Wolves where they edged to victory on Boxing Day after substitute Rayan Ait-Nouri scored in stoppage time. The goal handed Wolves a vital win to lift them off the foot of the table and Lopetegui believes a lot has changed since then. “It seems a lot of years ago now, but it was only months,” he told a pre-match press conference. “It was my first match in the Premier League and it was important. Being honest, we didn’t deserve to win this match, but in the end, we got what was important for us, which was to believe more. “It was very difficult moment (at the start of his tenure) and we achieved three important points at that moment. It was a tough match and it’s going to be the same this Saturday, for sure. “It was difficult to imagine we would be in the situation we are in now when we last played Everton, but it was our aim. “We tried to achieve points and change things, knowing the difficulty and the quality of the level of the Premier League. “Fortunately, we manged to achieve our aim and we are happy for this. “But when you go and accept one new challenge, you are not thinking about the end of the challenge, you are only thinking of the next step, the next match and that’s the only way to build a new reality, and that’s what we tried to do.” Wolves are currently 13th in the table with two games to go, starting with Everton before finishing the season at the Emirates against Arsenal. They secured Premier League safety earlier in the month and Lopetegui knew the team would be safe when faced with their responses after defeats. “Maybe after each defeat and with the answer of the players in the next day after a defeat. For me, they were very key moments and very important moments,” he added. “To see them to come here into work [after a defeat] with big commitment and with a big belief, that was important. How we would manage and drive out of those bad moments were key for our achievement.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sam Allardyce urges ‘police to do a lot more’ about social media abuse UEFA to investigate after AZ Alkmaar fans confront West Ham players’ families Hope Powell joins England backroom staff for men’s Under-20 World Cup
2023-05-19 17:15

Watch live: Fans gather at Istanbul stadium ahead of Champions League final
Watch live as fans gather at Istanbul's Olympic Ataturk Stadium as Manchester City and Inter Milan prepare to face each other in the Champions League final on Saturday, 10 June. Guardiola’s side are favourites for the game that could see them crowned European champions for the first time and complete the treble. Inter beat Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final, securing their first silverware of the season. The Italian side secured third place in Serie A, ensuring a return to the competition they last won in 2010 under the management of Jose Mourinho. Speaking to reporters ahead of the final, Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne admitted that it is Manchester City's "dream and obsession" to win the Champions League. "It’s absolutely a dream, yes. To achieve things you always have to have the correct proportion of obsession and desire," Guardiola, who won the competition twice managing Barcelona, said. Read More Manchester City fans sing on streets of Istanbul ahead of Champions League final Man City owner to attend first match in 13 years at Champions League final Watch: Guardiola and De Bruyne on ‘dream and obsession’ of winning Champions League
2023-06-10 20:24

Mexican Football Club Twitter Account References Nazis While Defending Game-Changing Offsides Call
An interesting decision!
2023-07-25 00:28

Djokovic to take part in Ryder Cup All-Star golf match before upcoming event in Italy
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2023-09-06 18:19

Bruno Fernandes hits back at criticism over Marcus Rashford penalty decision
Bruno Fernandes has defended his decision to cede penalty taking duties to Marcus Rashford in Man Utd's win over Everton.
2023-11-29 03:48

Nigeria undaunted against Women's World Cup co-host Australia after its opening draw against Canada
Nigeria has already held Olympic champion Canada to a 0-0 draw and is determined to stay unbeaten when it takes on co-host Australia at the Women's World Cup
2023-07-26 20:19

West Ham 3-1 Chelsea: Player ratings as Hammers inflict first Blues loss of Pochettino era
Player ratings from West Ham's 3-1 win over Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
2023-08-21 01:48

AEW Full Gear 2023 start time, match card, live stream, and how to watch
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2023-11-18 10:24

Packers continue to get younger by releasing veteran punter Pat O'Donnell
The Green Bay Packers are making a change at punter by releasing veteran Pat O’Donnell
2023-08-29 02:27

AP Top 25 Reality Check: A top-five of perfect 10s has been unchanged for five weeks
There are more perfect 10s at the top of the AP college football poll than there have been 14 years
2023-11-13 19:28
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