
Robert Lewandowski responds to anger at Lamine Yamal snub in Alaves win
Robert Lewandowski responds to criticism of his conduct with youngster Lamine Yamal during Barcelona's win over Alaves.
2023-11-14 04:49

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

Labuschagne warns Smith as good as when he dominated 2019 Ashes
Marnus Labuschagne warned England that tweaks "freakish" Australian teammate Steve Smith has made to his batting mean he is as dangerous as when...
2023-05-19 11:47

Game 3 awaits in the NBA Finals, with Heat loose and Nuggets facing adversity
Erik Spoelstra has preached about the value of adversity for months, not shying away from saying that it helped the Miami Heat get to these NBA Finals
2023-06-07 02:46

Sam Kerr is set to get her Women's World Cup campaign going for Australia after injury setback
Sam Kerr wasn't needed as co-host Australia advanced to the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup by beating Canada 4-0 in a make-or-break final group game
2023-08-06 16:27

MLB Futures Game: 3 things I heard inside the NL and AL clubhouses in Seattle
SEATTLE — The future of Major League Baseball came together to learn from each other at the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star MLB Futures Game. Here's what we heard from three of baseball's top prospects.While much attention is paid to who will be taking the field in Tuesday night's ML...
2023-07-09 05:59

Mideast Buyers in $20 Billion Deal Rush for Plastics, Metals
Middle Eastern state firms are becoming increasingly ambitious as they scour the globe for acquisitions, targeting everything from
2023-06-21 01:20

What happened to Isaiah Bolden? NFL suspends Patriots-Packers game after rookie cornerback carted off the field
The preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers was halted due to a distressing injury sustained by Isaiah Bolden
2023-08-20 19:17

Luton leave it late as Jacob Brown goal sinks Crystal Palace
Luton won for the second time in the Premier League this season as substitute Jacob Brown’s dramatic late goal earned a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Kenilworth Road. A stolid match burst suddenly to life 18 minutes from time when defender Teden Mengi blasted Rob Edwards’ side into the lead from a corner, just reward for the pressure they had put Palace under in the second half. Michael Oliseh levelled within seconds for the visitors, a brilliant goal that deserved more than to be in a losing cause. But Luton, buoyed by the 10-point deduction handed to Everton this week, roared back, sealing a first top-flight home win in more than 30 years when Brown nipped between defender and goalkeeper seven minutes from time to nick it. The hosts dominated the ball in the opening 20 minutes but with little clear idea of how to hurt Palace. The visitors by contrast were superior in possession and almost made it count after 23 minutes. Eberechi Eze blasted low from range and brought a diving save from Thomas Kaminski, with the goalkeeper up quickly to deny Jeffrey Schlupp on the rebound with a superb block. Amari’i Bell thumped a speculative drive from all of 40 yards that Sam Johnstone took the sting out of well with two solid palms. It encapsulated Luton’s approach in the first period as they found the route to goal, both out wide and centrally, barred by an organised Palace rearguard. Tom Lockyer tripped Eze 20 yards out to give Palace a final shot at breaking the deadlock before half-time, but the forward’s free-kick lacked the power to beat Kaminski who saved comfortably. It was the kind of tame, ponderous effort that a languid first half had deserved. Cheick Doucoure left the field on a stretcher shortly after half-time, having gone down off the ball. It seemed to unsettle Palace and Luton were quickly on top, Chiedozie Ogbene coming to life down the left with a series of driving runs. Odsonne Edouard put the ball in the net with a cool finish on the rebound after Lockyer blocked his initial shot, but VAR intervened, ruling the striker had handled the ball as it clipped up off the Luton skipper. A goal at that stage for Palace would have been completely against the run of play. When Luton’s goal arrived minutes later, it was utterly deserved. Alfie Doughty’s corner was floated over left-footed and arrived in a cluster of bodies eight yards out. As heads flew towards the ball, Mengi peeled away in anticipation at the far post and, as it dropped at his feet, he showed consummate cool to take a touch and drive it low across goal into the corner. There was barely time to assess what three points might do for Luton’s survival hopes before Palace equalised, Oliseh showing why the club strived so hard to keep him in the summer with a sublime solo goal, stepping in off the left and bending a cool, arching finish high past Kaminski. But Luton were not done and it was Palace’s tormentor Ogbene who made the goal that would win it. His cross from the right pitched awkwardly inside the box but should nevertheless have been a simple mop-up job for Joachim Andersen. Instead, the defender allowed the ball to run across him and there darting between him and the goalkeeper was Brown, lunging in to prod Luton back in front. Andersen had the chance to make amends when he shot low towards Kaminski’s near post, the keeper turning it behind well with a strong right foot, before Jefferson Lerma hit a post in stoppage time. But Luton held on to put life into their survival bid. Read More Jonathan Obika’s last-gasp equaliser earns Motherwell point at Celtic Tomas Soucek nets late winner as West Ham fight back to beat sorry Burnley Brighton return to winning ways by edging Forest in thriller Opposing managers happy with a point as Manchester City and Liverpool draw Banner calling for release of activist in UAE flown over Etihad Stadium Man Utd have reached ‘turning point’ ahead of crucial week – Erik ten Hag
2023-11-26 01:45

There Is Apparently Video Evidence of Ja Morant's Toy Gun
TMZ acquired video of Morant with a gun lighter.
2023-06-18 00:51

South Carolina returns to familiar No. 1 spot in women's hoops with new faces, inexperienced roster
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is back at No. 1 in her first season without the core of the group that went to the past three Final Fours and won the 2022 national title
2023-11-15 19:46

Phillies erase 5-run deficit, beat D-backs 6-5 in 10 innings to avoid series sweep
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner tied the game with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Alec Bohm hit the winning single in the 10th to rally the Philadelphia Phillies from five runs down in a 6-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
2023-05-25 10:17
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