List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

The Chiefs may have their eye on another veteran defensive end to reinforce the pass-rushing unit after a Chris Jones extension gets done.Coming off a Super Bowl victory in 2022, why would anyone from the Kansas City Chiefs' championship-winning roster want to leave? That seems to be the me...

First the romance, then the new reality. N’Golo Kante’s eight years in England were bookended by two phenomena, two dramatic shifts in the footballing world. In his debut season, came Leicester’s improbable Premier League win, powered by Kante, destined to be a one-off. As he goes, it is to Saudi Arabia, to Al Ittihad, to a project that has greater funds and may have more longevity. Kante, the footballer who famously drove a Mini, will get a supersized salary, reportedly £86m. Selfless running has proved to be a profitable business. That it came in the same summer Leicester were relegated is a coincidence. Yet an era has ended: the three catalysts for English football’s greatest fairytale may not play in the Premier League again, with Jamie Vardy going down with the Foxes and Riyad Mahrez perhaps destined to join Kante in Saudi Arabia. A new force in the global game now is in the Middle East, not the East Midlands. Kante goes as Leicester and Chelsea’s likeable legend, the unassuming and perhaps inimitable – though maybe Moises Caicedo will be charged with emulating him at Stamford Bridge – architect of unexpected triumphs. If xG has been a factor in football in recent years, so has ‘NG’; the latter was a way of confounding predictions. It says something that winning the World Cup may not rank in Kante’s top three achievements; not given the context, anyway, because France were at least among the favourites in 2018. Their prowess, however, relied upon a recurring theme in Kante’s career: his ability to do the work of two men, which in turn released Paul Pogba to adopt a more attacking brief. But the Kante hat-trick consisted of his back-to-back Premier Leagues, with Leicester and Chelsea, who had finished 14th and 10th respectively the previous seasons, and then the 2021 Champions League. Arguably, he was the outstanding player in each competition. In 2015-16, the individual honours went to Vardy and Mahrez, before Kante was named both PFA Player of the Year and Footballer of the Year the following season. Aided by Italy’s triumph at Euro 2020, Jorginho won Uefa’s Player of the Year for 2020-21; it is no slight on the regista to say he was not even the best player in Chelsea’s midfield. Kante, man of the match in the final and both legs of the semi-final, was the small man who doubled up as a big-game player, and not merely because a disproportionate share of his few goals came against Chelsea’s peers. Chelsea won the Champions League by conceding two goals in seven knockout games. Thomas Tuchel branded Kante “our Salah, our Van Dijk, our De Bruyne”. He was right: Chelsea’s x-factor footballer was a runner who was playing in France’s third tier when he turned 22. Kante’s defining attributes seemed prosaic: running – he could cover 13km in a game – tackling and intercepting, which he did more than virtually anyone else. But he felt flawless: the king of tackles was never sent off for either Chelsea or Leicester. And his brilliance was illustrated by his uniqueness: as others sought their own Kante, players who had similar statistics for regaining possession, such as Idrissa Gueye and Wilfred Ndidi, were acquired, but no one else had the full package. Instructive as Tuchel’s tribute was, it was not the most pertinent praise of Kante. That came from the man who brought him to England, Steve Walsh, who took to whispering “Kante” to a sceptical Claudio Ranieri when their paths crossed in corridors and in ultimately successful attempts to persuade the manager to sign him. A year later, with Leicester champions, Walsh reflected that City played three in the heart of midfield in their seemingly anachronistic 4-4-2 formation: “[Danny] Drinkwater in the middle with Kante either side”. And Kante, with his extraordinary energy, held back trends in tactics. There was a sense that teams with him had 12 men. A central-midfield trio tends to be a prerequisite at elite level these days: unless, that is, one of a duo is Kante, covering the ground of two men, compensating for the times he was actually outnumbered. The last two teams to win the Premier League with a central-midfield duo are Leicester and Chelsea; the first as a low-possession team, the second sometimes with the immobile Cesc Fabregas alongside the all-action Kante. In the last decade, only one team has won the Champions League with just two out-and-out central midfielders: Chelsea in 2021. Factor in France in 2018 and Kante made tactics and teams work. Al Ittihad will have to confront the question if such feats are consigned to the past, if a man whose physicality – along with his reading of the game – made him so good is now in decline. He only made nine appearances for Chelsea last season. Graham Potter is entitled to feel himself luckless in at least one respect: Kante was only able to play 33 minutes in his ill-fated tenure. Frank Lampard rather strangely used him as a No 10 against Real Madrid and Brentford. It was a glamour position but Kante was the man who long excelled at the unglamorous. He became a miracle worker by being the greatest worker of his generation. Read More Man Utd see £50m bid rejected for Mason Mount as Chelsea set asking price Ryan Porteous not too envious of Scotland team-mates as he heads back to Watford Almost two thirds of football fans oppose VAR, survey finds

Florida is one win away from the College World Series finals, but needs to get past TCU in order to do so.The Gators have looked the part in Omaha, Nebraska, beating Virginia and Oral Roberts in two thrilling games, each by one run, can the team hold off the Horned Frogs, who have been one of th...

Ryan Porteous watched his Scotland team-mates gearing up for their summer holidays after Tuesday’s win over Georgia while preparing to start his next campaign the following day. The defender was due back at Watford for a team meeting and day three of pre-season training hours after helping Scotland to victory in difficult conditions. The former Hibernian player is happy to get back to England, though, and get to work under new head coach Valerien Ismael, who was appointed on May 10. “All the boys are jetting off on holiday but I’m back in,” Porteous said. “There will be a big rebuild probably at Watford so I’m looking forward to getting started there. “I had a holiday before. We finished up on the 10th (of May) so I got away for a couple of weeks. “Listen, I will be in good shape going back. That’s what you want as a player. Pre-season is hard enough but if you are in good physical state, as you need to be in this day and age, then it will be of benefit to me.” The defender’s return to club duty might have been delayed at one point as the Euro 2024 qualifier looked in severe doubt because of a waterlogged pitch, with rules stating any abandoned game continues the next day. Porteous got away from Hampden after midnight but the fans were not far in front of him after a near two-hour delay while water was swept off the pitch following a torrential downpour. Speaking after a 2-0 win for the Group A leaders, the 24-year-old said: “We wanted the game to go on because there were 50,000 fans there. For them to come to the game, spend all that money on travel and tickets and then go home very disappointed that the game was the next day, wasn’t what we wanted. “We wanted to play the game. We understand why they (Georgia) wouldn’t because they were 1-0 down, that’s completely understandable, but most of the fans stayed to the end. “The fans were brilliant, because it was a late night for a lot of kids and working people as well.” The victory made it four wins from four in Group A, Scotland’s best start to any qualifying campaign, and sent them eight points clear halfway through their schedule. Porteous said: “It’s exactly where we want to be, but the manager keeps reiterating to us and the press that we have done nothing yet. “We have put ourselves in a fantastic position but it’s one game at a time that will get us there. We need to stay grounded. “Four wins probably doesn’t get you there, you have to keep going.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Almost two thirds of football fans oppose VAR, survey finds Leicester and Sale to face holders La Rochelle in Heineken Champions Cup pool Range of armband options for Women’s World Cup as FIFA aims to avoid repeat row

VIDEO: Kendrick Perkins went on SportsCenter and said Jonathan Kuminga had grown seven inches.

Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras has been playing better this past week -- but can he keep up the production come the trade deadline in August?One week after Willson Contreras admitted his confidence in the big leagues was shot, the three-time All-Star is ramping up his production for the dow...

Manchester United have had a second offer of £50 million rejected by Chelsea for midfielder Mason Mount. Erik ten Hag’s second bid, of an initial £45m plus a further £5m in add-ons, followed a first proposal of £40m. Chelsea are holding out for nearer £70m for their double Player of the Year but run the risk of losing Mount on a free transfer when his contract expires in 2024 if they cannot agree a deal with United. The 24-year-old wants to move to Old Trafford but United are reluctant to repeatedly increase their offers for the England international. Chelsea have already accepted an offer of an initial £25m, which could rise to £30m from Manchester City for Mateo Kovacic, who is five years older than Mount but, like him, is about to enter the last year of his current deal and was unlikely to agree a new one. Chelsea also paid City £47m for Raheem Sterling last season when the former Footballer of the Year was in the same situation at City. Ten Hag has targeted Mount as United have made midfield a priority in the transfer window, along with a new striker. Either Scott McTominay or Fred could leave if a new midfielder arrives. Mount came through the ranks at Chelsea, scoring 27 goals and providing 22 assists in 129 Premier League appearances. The 24-year-old – a Champions League winner with the Blues – has won 36 England caps and started the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy. Read More Man City agree fee with Chelsea for Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic Marcus Rashford’s complicated England relationship could be at turning point Bellingham gone but who’s next? Midfield merry-go-round will define summer

The Miami Marlins are now 10 games over .500, but they've done it in the most unconventional way.For the first time since 2011, when they were still named the Florida Marlins, the Miami Marlins are 10 games over .500, standing at 42-32.But none of it really makes sense.Not only does...

On June 20th, 2024, the Giants and Cardinals will play a Major League Baseball game at Rickwood Field, the former home of the great Willie Mays.Rickwood Field is the oldest professional baseball field in the United States. It's built in Birmingham, Alabama and has been the home field for th...

Players have been shown a range of armbands highlighting social issues which could be worn at this summer’s Women’s World Cup. FIFA is consulting with players and national associations over the bands in a bid to avoid a repeat of the row over the rainbow-coloured ‘OneLove’ armbands which dominated the early stages of the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year. The PA news agency understands there are different bands highlighting a range of issues and causes, including support for the rights of indigenous peoples, inclusion, gender equality, education for all and ending violence against women. Other bands carry the slogan ‘Unite For Peace’ and ‘Football Is Joy, Peace, Hope, Love, Passion’. The only bands set to feature something resembling a rainbow design are those supporting inclusion. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in March that everyone had learned lessons from the ‘OneLove’ armband row, and that a “solution” would be in place for the start of the Women’s World Cup. FIFA has asked players to provide feedback on its proposal. One option could be that different bands are worn as the tournament progresses, similar to an initial plan FIFA unveiled on the eve of the Qatar World Cup. England and Wales’ men’s teams were threatened with unlimited sporting sanctions on the day of their opening matches in Qatar last year if their respective captains Harry Kane and Gareth Bale wore the ‘OneLove’ armbands, starting at a yellow card for the skippers. The bands were part of a wider season-long campaign which began last September, but would have sent out a particularly strong message in Qatar where same-sex relationships are criminalised. Leah Williamson, who had been due to captain England at the finals prior to her suffering a season-ending injury in April, had been hoping to wear the ‘OneLove’ armband this summer. The Football Association, for its part, is understood to be in regular contact with FIFA over the issue in a bid to avoid any repeat of what happened in Qatar. FIFA has been approached for comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Leicester and Sale to face holders La Rochelle in Heineken Champions Cup pool Manchester United make improved bid of up to £50m for Chelsea’s Mason Mount Arsenal agree fee with Chelsea to sign Germany forward Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz is set to join Arsenal from Chelsea. Here are the shirt numbers that are on offer to him at the Emirates Stadium.

The Detroit Tigers are making it hard to watch them. Literally.