It is clear that the Brazil forward is having to deal with huge expectations but the team need to shut off the outside noise as they prepare to face MexicoBrazil are entering the business end of the tournament and with that comes added pressure. Our team, of course, who have some of the best players in the world, are used to playing under pressure and that is certainly true for Neymar.You could see that from the contrasting emotions after the final whistle in the second and the third games. Against Costa Rica he broke down in tears at the end, despite Brazil winning 2-0. Against Serbia, however, after Tite’s team had secured first place in the group, he was laughing...
After his side crashed out of the World Cup, Lionel Messi will have been left wondering whether he should have returned to lead Argentina’s bereft finals showing in RussiaAs Argentina’s defenders punted the ball from net to centre circle for the third time, Lionel Messi gazed down with hands on hips and you wondered who he would be more tempted to curse.Would a stray dark thought double down on the figure of Franco Armani, who had just let Kylian Mbappé’s shot through his legs to undo the work – and it had not all been good – that Argentina had put in so far? Perhaps a special place in hell would be reserved for Jorge Sampaoli for giving him such...
Southgate stood out when I was with him at Aston Villa and his thoughtfulness and trust in players can break cycle of failureI made my debut for Aston Villa on 13 January 2001 and, to be frank, it could have been in better circumstances. We were 3-0 down to Liverpool at home when John Gregory decided to beckon me from the bench. I came on with six minutes to go, into a lost cause, and in front of an understandably disgruntled crowd.Nevertheless, it remains a good memory given it was my first taste of English football, and Premier League football in particular. I also came into a Villa side full of strong personalties such as Paul Merson, David Ginola and...
Gary Lineker has led a largely stellar cast of voices while on the other side Eni Aluko has shone and Patrice Evra was a disasterMain host: Gary Lineker Continue reading...
A brilliantly entertaining group stage produced 116 goals and a plethora of stories – this already feels like a tournament with is own distinctive characterAnd breathe. After 48 matches, 116 goals and a thrillingly varied swag-bag of drama, big-name angst and rolling VAR-palaver, Russia 2018 has now reached its midpoint.These things invariably alter from week to week, the tone and texture of a tournament defined by a few key games. But as the World Cup takes a breath, hitches its shorts up and contemplates a final punt through the laces at the knockout stage, it already feels like a tournament with its own distinctive character. Related: The best passers, hardest workers and slowest players of the World Cup so far...