With football's ever-growing popularity and commercial reach, football kits have increasingly become seen as fashion pieces as well as representations of the teams that wear them.

It's not just clubs, though; international teams will regularly release one or two new kits every year, especially when there is a tournament on the horizon, and with Euro 2024 fast approaching, expect to see a raft of shirts released in the coming months.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the 12 best shirts ever worn at the European Championships.

12 Poland 2012

Kicking off the list is an inclusion that may surprise some: Poland's home shirt from their European Championships on home soil in 2012.

While the tournament was excellent, with Poland and Ukraine being fantastic hosts, the men in white and red didn't do much on the pitch.

They took two points from their first two games courtesy of two 1-1 draws. However, the draw against Russia on matchday two was almost seen as a win given that the visitors scored first and the fierce rivalry between the two teams. Unfortunately, a loss to the Czech Republic in their third game meant they finished rock bottom of their group, but they looked good doing it.

Poland tend to make great shirts most years, but this simple design with the rectangle across the chest, an eagle in the middle and a badge off to the side all come together to make an excellent, modern kit that wouldn't look out of place today, 11 years on.

11 West Germany 1988

Okay, we're going a little further back in time for this one.

Germany have a history of producing quality designs for international tournaments. Something about that white and black base just looks brilliant regardless of what else they do to it. That said, for our money, their 1988-1990 effort is their best to date.

The 1988 competition was staged in West Germany, and while the team made it out of their group – beating Spain and Denmark in the process – they were beaten in the semi-finals at the hands of eventual winners, the Netherlands.

The top itself is undeniably iconic. The plain white base with the German flag printed across the front in Adidas' best template is instantly recognisable, and Germany even modelled their 2018 kit on the design.

10 England 2021

The first England entry on the list, and like every other shirt here, it's a corker.

If we are being honest, England shirts can often be quite dull. You can't do much with an almost entirely white top, but for Euro 2020, Nike found a way to make it far more interesting.

The thick navy collar combined with the jagged stripes up the side gives some much-needed intricacy to the shirt, and we just love the badge's central placement – why can't all badges be central?

The tournament itself was a memorable one for the Three Lions as the cross-continent nature of the competition meant that they played most of their games at home, including a memorable round-of-16 win over Germany.

Alas, it was still England, and so it inevitably ended in penalty shootout heartbreak as Italy clinched the title in a tightly contested final at Wembley Stadium.

9 England 2022

Back-to-back England, but the Lionesses' shirt for the 2022 European Championship deserves to be on this list.

Where the men came agonisingly close to lifting what would've been the country's first European title, the women went one better. The final was once again held at Wembley Stadium, only this time, the opposition was Germany. It was a fantastic spectacle, with England clinching it in extra time, much to the delight of a sold-out crowd.

The shirt itself was also a stunner. It didn't have the navy detailing of the men's, instead featuring a faint diamond pattern base with an iridescent Three Lions and Nike tick.

8 Sweden 1992

Much like in the domestic game, in international football, some teams are instantly recognisable from the colour of their shirts alone, and Sweden are a great example of that.

The rich yellow and royal blue colour combo is unmistakably Swedish, and it just so happens to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing combinations as well.

With so many iconic kits to choose from for the Swedes, we have opted for their 1992 home shirt. It has everything you'd want from a Sweden top: a rich yellow base, royal blue stripes that pop from a mile away, and a chunky retro collar with a perfectly placed Adidas logo at its base.

The competition itself took place in Sweden and was a relative success for the Swedes, as they made it out of their group and to the semi-finals, where they would be beaten by Germany.

7 Italy 2021

Few international football teams look as stylish as Italy, and their effort for the 2020 European Championship is no different.

When picking the best Italian shirts, you are spoilt for choice, but we reckon this is their best effort to date. The two-tone blue base looks brilliant on the pitch, and the Renaissance-inspired print just gives it that edge over some of their plainer designs, as do the collar and gold detailing.

It was also a tournament to remember for Gli Azzurri as they went in as dark horses and ended up winning it all after breaking English hearts in the final at Wembley Stadium.

6 England 1996

Okay, this is the last England shirt, we promise – but it is a beaut.

1996 is one of those years that has become mythologised in English football. It was a tournament that made people genuinely believe the team would finally lift some silverware again, and in front of a home crowd as well.

The game against Scotland and Paul Gascoigne's goal live on and are instantly recognisable for England fans – even for those who weren't around to see it – but as it always does, the tournament ended in penalty disappointment for the Three Lions, once again at the hands of the Germans.

That said, at least the team looked good, thanks to this brilliant shirt from Umbro. The incorporation of electric blue around the number and along the chunky collar really helped the shirt to pop, and a central badge always helps make a shirt look better.

5 Denmark 1992

Scandinavia's second representative on the list, Denmark, have produced some stunning kits over the years, but we reckon their home shirt for the 1992 European Championship takes the cake.

The 1986 top might get more attention, but the design and history attached to this one give it the edge. The plain red base paired with the striped red and white sleeves really makes this top stand out amongst other red and white shirts – and we just love a retro collar.

1992 is probably the greatest year in Danish football due to the fact that they – somewhat surprisingly – won the European Championship that year. It was surprising for a couple of reasons: one, for as good as they were, they were underdogs compared to teams like Germany and the Netherlands; and two, they didn't even qualify for the tournament.

The Danes only entered the competition after Yugoslavia were disqualified following the breakup of the country and the ensuing violence.

4 USSR 1988

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the USSR, might not exist anymore. Still, when they did, they had an excellent track record in international tournaments – and an even greater record of beautiful kits.

The 1988 European Championship was the last Euros they appeared in, as they played as the Commonwealth of International States (CIS) for the 1992 edition of the tournament following the dissolution of the state.

1988 was a massively successful tournament for the team, though, as they beat England and the Netherlands in the group stage before beating Italy in the semi-final. Unfortunately, they couldn't do the double over the Dutch in the final, and they would have to settle for second at their last-ever Euros.

The shirt itself was a stunner. The base was red and white and used one of Adidas' best-ever templates, while the collar and detailing made it stand out from the others that used the same base design.

3 Croatia 1996

Now, this one might be a bit marmite in that some will love it – like us – and some will probably hate it, but you just cannot make a list like this and not include Croatia's iconic shirt, specifically the 1996 edition.

The checkerboard pattern is certainly garish; there's no getting away from that, but it's unique, eye-catching and instantly recognisable. The tricolour detailing around the collar and sleeves takes it up another level and comfortably makes it one of the three best kits ever worn at a European Championship.

The team themselves had a reasonably impressive tournament that year, with group-stage wins over Turkey and Denmark – who were then the reigning champions. However, they were ultimately knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Germany.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck 81 off 63 balls before Fisher won a rain-reduced match with consecutive boundaries

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2018
ScorecardMatthew Fisher boosted Yorkshire’s Royal London Cup hopes as they beat Derbyshire by two wickets with a ball to spare in a dramatic North Group game at Derby.Fisher blasted an unbeaten 24 from eight balls to chase down a target of 190 in a game reduced by rain to 24 overs a side despite Ravi Rampaul’s best limited overs figures of 5 for 48.Ben Slater made an unbeaten 109 from 82 balls in Derbyshire’s 189 for 6 with David Willey taking 4 for 47 but Tom Kohler-Cadmore replied with 81 off 63 balls before Fisher won it with consecutive fours off Hardus Viljoen.Yorkshire brought in Willey who only arrived back in England from India on Monday night but his first over went for 21 as Derbyshire got off to a flier.The first five-over Powerplay cost 52 runs with Slater hooking Fisher for six to punish Yorkshire who bowled too short and wide but the introduction of Adil Rashid restored some order with Billy Godleman well caught at deep midwicket as only 20 came from the next four overs.Rashid should have had a second but Adam Lyth put down Wayne Madsen on eight at long off and the batsman celebrated by reverse sweeping the final ball of the 11th over for six.Tim Bresnan removed Madsen for 20 when he miscued a pull but after reaching 50 from 39 balls, Slater hit Liam Plunkett for three fours in the 16th over to get Derbyshire back on track.But some momentum was lost when Luis Reece collapsed in pain with an ankle injury and retired hurt at the end of the 18th over and Willey returned to bowl Gary Wilson and have Matt Critchley caught behind first ball.Willey struck again when Alex Hughes pulled to deep midwicket but Slater completed an excellent hundred off 77 balls before hitting two more fours in the final over.Derbyshire opened with Madsen’s offspin and he responded with a maiden but Adam Lyth pulled Duanne Olivier for consecutive sixes before Kohler-Cadmore did the same in Madsen’s next over.Kohler-Cadmore drove Rampaul for six but Lyth skied the seamer high to mid-on and in the next over, Willey top edged Olivier to short midwicket.Derbyshire struck a big blow in the ninth over when their former batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was lbw trying to work Critchley to midwicket and Ballance should have been caught on 11 by the substitute fielder at deep cover.It threatened to prove costly but Ballance was bowled by Olivier for 27 trying to ramp Olivier to fine leg in the 18th over and Bresnan was caught behind off Rampaul in the next over.Rampaul pinned Tattersall lbw to leave Yorkshire needing 55 off the last five overs and although Kohler-Cadmore swung the West Indian to wide midwicket, Fisher’s late assault saw Yorkshire home in the gloom.

There have definitely been flashes of progress at Tottenham Hotspur over the past few weeks, but the 3-0 hiding handed by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on a chill Sunday afternoon has served Thomas Frank a sobering reality check.

At the weekend, Tottenham knew there was a chance to step up and make real headway in the Premier League by recording a statement win over Forest, having ended a six-game winless run in the division the match before, against Brentford on home turf.

Positivity was short-lived, though, even after beating Slavia Prague 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek. This system is riddled with problems, and the manner in which Spurs were beaten by Sean Dyche’s relegation-threatened side has enraged and dismayed a fanbase who have been crying out for coherence and focused creativity all season.

Frank’s post-match comments were bleak, but he couldn’t have stood in front of the cameras and lauded effort, drawn solace from moments.

It is clearer than ever that ENIC Group’s decision to attack the January transfer market is a just one.

Spurs planning for January additions

The Forest defeat was one to forget, but it wasn’t an outlier for the Lilywhites this season, and that makes putting it in the background difficult.

Tottenham came undone in the first half when Guglielmo Vicario put Archie Gray under pressure. The 19-year-old then lost possession cheaply, and Callum Hudson-Odoi scored.

This microcosm of Spurs’ season widens to a gloomier landscape, and it’s understandable that signings are anticipated. This is a squad who need improvements across different positions. Gray, it seems, isn’t ready for a starring role, playing as an anchor week in and week out.

Perhaps that’s why ENIC are lining up a move for Atletico Madrid star Pablo Barrios. In fact, Spanish media are under the impression that the Londoners have already tabled an opening €70m (equating to £61m) offer for the 22-year-old midfielder. That fee, should a deal get done, would be one of the most expensive in the club’s history, surpassing the £60m they paid for Richarlison but falling £4m shy of Dominic Solanke’s deal.

The Spaniard’s versatility and physical attributes make him an ideal fit for the Premier League, but Atletico won’t let their prize leave easily. Spurs’ interest is very real, but landing his signature will prove a hard task.

Why Spurs should sign Pablo Barrios

Gray’s blunder at the weekend can happen in football, but it’s symptomatic of a wider struggle at Tottenham right now. More experience and dynamism are needed in midfield, especially with Yves Bissouma ostracised and Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha offering limited skillsets.

Here Barrios would raise Spurs’ level. He is athletic and fleet-footed and confident in the duel. He has been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his “Iniesta-esque magic” on the ball, and so would help the manager establish fluid passing patterns from midfield, flowing into the final third.

Winning duels is a core part of the midfield game, and this Gray is struggling to do. In fact, the England U21 international’s lack of success in tussling against opponents is preventing him from establishing fluency in the Tottenham midfield.

There is no such issue for Barrios, who is still young but strong and powerful enough to hold his own against any opponent.

League Form 25/26 – Archie Gray vs Pablo Barrios

Stats (* per game)

Gray

Barrios

Matches (starts)

6 (4)

16 (14)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

28.3

61.8

Accurate passes*

20.5 (92%)

41.3 (87%)

Chances created*

0.2

0.8

Succ. dribbles*

0.2 (50%)

1.8 (65%)

Ball recoveries*

2.3

4.8

Tackles*

0.5

1.2

Interceptions*

0.5

1.3

Duels won*

1.0 (29%)

5.0 (57%)

Data via Sofascore

Barrios would help steer Spurs back onto more stable ground. Not only is the Spanish star been tempered in the furnaces of Diego Simeone’s steely system, but he’s positive and proactive on the ball. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 5% of centre-midfielders across Europe over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 14% for interceptions per 90.

There is every reason for Spurs directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici to complete this deal. Gray is an exciting talent who may yet take a talismanic role in Frank’s set-up, but he’s not there yet.

The problem is that Gray’s peers have hardly covered themselves in glory this season either, and a change is now needed, with plenty to play for this term.

Related Fewer touches than Vicario & only 2 passes: Spurs flop must be dropped

It’s time Frank took the Spurs flop out of his team for good.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes 2 days ago

ScorecardJosh Tongue showed why he is one of the outstanding fast-bowling prospects in England with an eye-catching spell against the county champions.Tongue, maintaining a wonderfully probing line and length, accounted for three high-quality batsmen – Dan Lawrence, Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate – for the cost of seven runs in the space of 15 balls. He returned later to claim a fourth wicket and help dismiss Essex for just 177 after they had won the toss and made first use of what appeared to be a decent, if slow, batting surface.Tongue, aged 20, is not an outright fast bowler. He bowls, at his best, at around 85-88 mph and, while modern thinking suggest fast bowlers might benefit from a long delivery stride, his is short. But his action is high and, as a consequence, he gains sharp bounce. He is admirably level-headed – he hardly bowled a short ball throughout – and is his stock delivery is angled in and straightens. These are early days but it is a long, long time since Worcestershire had a home-grown bowler of such potential. The watching Geoff Arnold, former England seamer and now an ECB pace bowling scout, can only have been impressed.The delivery that dismissed Lawrence was a beauty: heading for middle, it pitched full enough and moved just enough to hit the top of off stump. Bopara was unfortunate to receive one that also bounced a little more than expected – there was a spot on a length from the Diglis End that appeared to offer extra bounce all day – while ten Doeschate was beaten by late movement as he attempted to hit through the leg side.”I just tried to hit the pitch hard,” Tongue said. “There’s a bit more bounce than you normally see at New Road and I felt in more rhythm than I have done so far this season.”Tongue’s success reflects well on the Worcestershire production line. He is one of nine home-grown players in this side – Essex also have an admirable eight home-grown players in their team – with the club quietly confident that some of those in waiting in the wings (not least Dillion Pennington, who is thought, at 19, to be the quickest bowler on the staff and Jack Haynes, who is a 17-year-old batsman but could make his Championship debut later in the season) are every bit as good as though who have emerged already.That’s just as well. The club will come under huge pressure to retain the services of Joe Clarke, in particular, with Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire appearing to have hefty budgets to lure players their way. The only sure way for smaller counties to counter such pressures is to ensure there are always more players coming through.It is intriguing to note that, while fast-bowlers around the country appear to be suffering from an epidemic of stress fractures, Worcestershire have a good track-record in that regard. While Tongue had an ankle operation over the winter and Jack Shantry is currently recovering from what might be best described as a wear-and-tear injury, the only stress fracture among the current crop at New Road is that of George Scrimshaw, a tall quick bowler, who spent time on the ECB fast bowling programme over the winter.The difference? It seems that while the ECB programme encourages quite a lot of weights-based training, the Worcestershire program is based far more on mobility and stretching.Top-scorer for Essex was Alastair Cook. Having survived an early scare – had Brett D’Oliverira hit the stumps from square leg, Cook would have been run-out without facing in the first over of the day – he was admirably patient in that first session: leaving the ball well, cutting neatly and driving surprisingly sweetly when the opportunity arose.But much of his good work was squandered when, in the over after the interval, he pushed at one well outside off stump and edged to first slip. The fielder, Ben Twohig, could be forgiven his obvious relief: on his home debut he had dropped Cook to an almost identical stroke the previous ball.While it was the afternoon session that included eight wickets that was most eye-catching, Worcestershire bowled equally impressively in the first session. Fifteen of the 31 overs delivered in that morning session were maidens as Essex were limited to just two runs an over under relentless pressure by an admirably disciplined attack. Varun Chopra, replacing Nick Browne who broke a finger in training, went pushing at one outside off, while Tom Westley, who came into the game having suffered three ducks in the space of seven deliveries in his previous three innings, appeared to play down the wrong line to one.In the afternoon session, Tongue gained fine support from Ed Barnard. While he lacks the pace of Tongue, Barnard is a skilful, disciplined bowler who nibbles the ball both ways and, on these seaming surfaces, presents quite a challenge. Here he had James Foster and Simon Harmer beaten by deliveries that may have come back at them a fraction, with Harmer’s inside edge ballooning off the keeper’s pads to second slip. Only Harmer, with 22, and Peter Siddle, with an uncomplicated 29, offered much resistance after Cook.Worcestershire’s openers survived a testing final session in failing light – play resumed briefly after 6pm – to give their side an excellent platform in the match.With both sides having endured tough starts to the season and both sides facing the prospect of having completed more than a third of their Championship program once this match is complete, the next three days could go a long way to defining the complexion of the rest of their campaigns.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após exames realizados na manhã desta terça, uma lesão no músculo posterior da coxa esquerda do meia Nenê foi detectada. Com isso, além de Fred e Dodi, que estão suspensos, o Fluminense não poderá contar com o experiente jogador no duelo com o Fortaleza, marcado para o próximo sábado, às 21h, no Castelão.A informação foi inicialmente publicada pelosite GE.

Vale destacar que o camisa 77 sentiu um incômodo na região na vitória sobre o Santos por 3 a 1, no Maracanã, no último domingo. Ainda no primeiro tempo, ele foi substituído pelo atacante Marcos Paulo, que voltou a balançar as redes. Nenê já se reapresentou e iniciouo tratamento no departamento médico do CT Carlos Castilho.

A tendência é que Marcos Paulo seja o substituto do jogador para a partida contra os cearenses, visando dar mais velocidade pelas pontas. No entanto, o técnico Odair Hellmann tem duas opções no elenco para a posição, os meiasGanso e Miguel.Wellington Silva e Lucca também podem ser alternativas para o jogo.

Invicto há 7 partidas e com sua melhor campanha desde 2015, o Fluminense entrou no G4 do Brasileirão com 29 pontos e encerra o primeiro turno contra o Fortaleza no sábado, às 21h. Com a semana cheia, em virtude das eliminações nas copas, Odair terá mais três dias para trabalhar com a equipe em busca de manter a regularidade na competição.

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Dhoni has a poor record in recent IPL finals, but Williamson has baggage of a different kind: Sunrisers have lost to CSK every time this season

Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai26-May-20182:34

‘IPL captaincy different from other leadership experiences’ – Williamson

The two IPL 2018 finalists have traversed contrasting paths during the past seven weeks to get to Mumbai. And now they face off for the fourth time this season, after overcoming very different challenges.Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their second IPL final but for their new captain Kane Williamson, it will be his first. They have largely banked on Williamson’s batting and strangled oppositions with their bowling attack, and Sunrisers coach Tom Moody said succeeding on different kind of pitches – especially adapting to flat ones – was their strength.”They [bowlers] have done an excellent job,” Moody said while sitting next to Williamson at the team hotel in Mumbai. “There’s no question about that. We played on a number of varied wickets throughout the tournament and we’ve managed to adjust pretty effectively with Kane’s leadership with regards to how he used those bowlers through the 20 overs. We’ve managed to – more often than not – get it right.”I guess those experiences of playing on some wickets that the team found flat has been really good for us. We did come across a couple of surfaces which were quite different than what we had played a lot of our games on. Yes, we didn’t get the results that we wanted but what we did get was compete in every single one of those games. We didn’t have an occasion this year where we were smashed up in any game. Even last night, perhaps a lot of people thought after the seventh over we’re out of the contest, but that was certainly not the mind set of the 11 players on the field.”Their opponents Chennai Super Kings are in the final in their first season back after serving a two-year suspension. MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming were together at Rising Pune Supergiant for those two years as well, and are reaping the benefits of those experiences – second from bottom in 2016 and second from top in 2017 – with their original franchise. Among their problems were the average age of their squad, a couple of tournament-ending injuries, and losing home advantage after playing only one game in Chennai.2:24

‘Disappointed we couldn’t play in Chennai’ – Dhoni

“The challenge this year was slightly different to what we faced in the past seven-eight years,” Dhoni said on the eve of the IPL final. “The age group of the boys was definitely a concern as we had to keep them fit because of the frequency of the games. You have to manoeuvre your resources and you have to look at the bigger picture, to make sure that when we come to the business end of the tournament, our best XI is available.”I was saddened that we couldn’t play our home matches in Chennai but I was still happy that we played at least one match. Our fans waited a very long time for this moment.”CSK’s strength has been how different players have stepped up one after another to steal wins from oppositions. Faf du Plessis’ 67 against Sunrisers earlier this week was the latest example. It also meant Dhoni has plenty of resources to choose from, which showed when he did not bowl Harbhajan Singh at all in the first qualifier. In typical philosophical mode, Dhoni said having experience in his “old” squad made a difference, but that was not all a T20 team needed.”Yes, we want to contribute as a team but it is always good when an individual takes the game away from the opposition as it makes the job of the others easy,” Dhoni said. “Experience really counts but it’s not that it always matters. It is not something that can’t be replaced.”It is good that whenever we have played we have had at least two good fielders or outstanding fielders, that can man that deep midwicket position. We have done well so far but it is something that can hurt us at any time.Faf du Plessis’ 42-ball 67 guided CSK to a two-wicket win•BCCI

“There are times especially when you have six to seven bowlers in the side, you see the conditions, who is batting and what is needed at that point. I have always said in the past when we had [Pawan] Negi and [Ravindra] Jadeja I always gave them different slots in bowling. I see the conditions and what is best for the team, and then decide who to bowl, who has the best chance against the batsman. It is always tough, in the last game I didn’t feel it was necessary to bowl him (Harbhajan), and I didn’t bowl him.”Fleming, the CSK coach, was aware that Sunrisers also had individual performers standing up, citing Rashid Khan’s example, and joked while looking at Williamson and Moody at the press conference table to say, “he won’t probably be able to do it tomorrow because having to do it twice in a row is tough.”Fleming brought up the point of how the CSK squad had been “written off after the auction” and said having different performers contribute to wins was “a characteristic of our campaign that we needed.””I guess teams win competitions when individuals can win finals, so we’re game for that match-winning performance and it’s going to have to come because the opposition is very good,” Fleming said.Despite having loads of experience in the squad, Fleming and Dhoni also carry the burden of a poor record in finals, having won only two out of six with CSK, and losing one for Rising Pune Supergiant against Mumbai Indians last year. Williamson also carries baggage but of a different kind – of losing three matches to CSK already this year.

 

أوضح أحمد سليمان عضو مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، موقف إدارة القلعة البيضاء من طلب إعادة مباراة الأهلي في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وكان من المقرر أن يلعب الأهلي والزمالك يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، في إطار الجولة الـ27 من منافسات الدوري المصري، إلا أن الفارس الأبيض رفض خوض المباراة.

ورفض الزمالك خوض مباراة الأهلي، بسبب اعتراضه على لعب مباريات الدور الثاني من الدوري قبل مؤجلات الدور الأول للمسابقة.

وقال سليمان خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “الكورة مع فايق” المذاع على قناة “mbc مصر 2”: “المباراة بها لغط، وهذا الكلام يتداول بين خبراء اللوائح”.

وأضاف: “البعض كان يقول إن الزمالك خائف من مواجهة الأهلي، لكننا كنا الأفضل منه في السعودية بمباراة الكأس، وفزنا عليهم في الدوري في لقاء الدور الأول”.

وتابع: “توجد أمور كثيرة لن نصمت عليها بعد الآن، لابد من تطوير التحكيم ونظام المسابقات، عبد الواحد السيد (مدير الكرة) كان يقول لي جدول المسابقة يأتي كل 4 مباريات”.

وأكمل: “مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم مقلقة لنا كمجلس إدارة، بعد الأحداث الصاخبة وعدم لعب مباراة الأهلي، وبسبب ذلك كنت في معسكر الفريق أمس وتحدثت مع اللاعبين والجهاز الفني”.

طالع | جوميز: الزمالك ليس خارج المنافسة على الدوري.. وسأقدم “كورس” للتحكيم نهاية الموسم

وواصل: “نُقدر حزن جمهور الزمالك، هم الأساس ودرع النادي وأقوى شيء في النادي هم الجماهير، وهم كانوا مصدر قوتنا، وحقهم علينا لو هم في حالة حزن، لكن هناك أمور لابد أن تحدث للصالح العام”.

وأردف: “هناك مصريون قالوا إن نادي الزمالك عليه غرامة 500 ألف دولار من قبل كاف بعد أحداث الكونفدرالية، هذا غير صحيح، هؤلاء مُغرضين”.

وأستطرد: “قرار مباراة بيراميدز وسموحة يخرج عقب المباراة مباشرة دون العودة لتقرير المراقب والحكم، (هو احنا قاعدين على الناصية؟)، هل رابطة الأندية كانت في الملعب لكي تصدر القرار مباشرة”.

وكشف سليمان أن إدارة الزمالك نجحت في تجديد عقد حارس الفريق محمد صبحي، وتفعيل عقد محمد شحاتة، وباقي اللاعبين في الطريق يوسف أوباما ومحمد عواد”.

وأستمر: “أحمد سيد زيزو عقده ما زال متبقي به عامين، وكل شيء في وقته ونعمل حسابنا على كل شيء، ونعمل رغم المشاكل الكثيرة، ونناقش أزمة إيقاف القيد”.

وأتم: “كل الدوريات على مستوى العالم انتهت، تونس والمغرب المتفوقين عننا في كأس العالم أنهيا مسابقاتهما، نريد منتخبنا أن يعبر مرحلة دور المجموعات في كأس العالم، لو سنذهب لكأس العالم للتمثيل المشرف أقول لـ حسام حسن من الآن لا تذهب، لكن توجد أندية الآن تعترض على عدم إرسال لاعبيها للمنتخب الأولمبي، لماذا يرفضون انضمام اللاعبين؟ كلنا نُخدم منتخباتنا”.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally eyeing an "exciting" player, and the man in question is keen on joining him too.

Spurs transfer news

Spurs have started this Premier League season with real aplomb, as both supporters and Postecoglou's squad seriously take to their new head coach who's becoming more and more popular with each passing game. The Lilywhites have won five out of a possible seven league matches so far this term, scoring 17 goals in the process, with only Newcastle, Brighton and Aston Villa scoring more than them.

The likes of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, previously outcasts under Conte, are now dazzling under Postecoglou as part of a new-look Spurs side who are back to playing an attack-minded, expansive brand of football. Summer signings like James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have also thrived for the Australian, especially the latter, who's scored two goals and assisted four others while starting every single 90 so far.

However, their success could be thwarted by potential injuries to star players, as Tottenham are pretty short defensively and in other areas of the field. Spurs reportedly have a few top targets in mind to provide back up behind both van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and it is believed they could add to their forward ranks with a replacement for Harry Kane in 2024.

Who could Spurs sign?

Postecoglou's fluid Spurs frontline has coped very well without the presence of a number nine llke Kane, with new club captain Son Heung-min dazzling in a more central role. Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison (in parts), Maddison, Manor Solomon and Brennan Johnson are also fruitful options in the attacking areas, yet a new report has suggested that Tottenham could strengthen further forward by potentially signing Jota from Al-Ittihad.

The former Celtic star, who worked with Postecoglou at Parkhead for two years, is a player the Lilywhites head coach knows very well. According to 90min, Tottenham's manager is personally keen to bring Jota to N17, and the feeling is mutual. The Portuguese would "ultimately love" to link up with his old boss at Spurs, which gives Tottenham a slight edge in the race ahead of other suitors.

Pundit Alan Hutton, commenting on the player last summer, called Jota an "exciting" and "incredible" player.

"Jota's only 23-years-old, he's still developing," explained Hutton to Football Insider. "He's probably only going to get better, I think he can get better. What he's done this season has been incredible, for him to come from his parent club, where he's not really been playing. Benfica are a big club in their own right but to come to another club where there's a lot of pressure, to perform at such a young age, he's stood up to that task.

“Jota's that player fans want to see. He's exciting, he takes people on, he makes things happen, he scores goals and ticks all the boxes."

The Champions League is the pinnacle of club competition in football. Every young player dreams of one day being able to compete amongst the biggest names in the sport and getting their hands on the famous trophy.

Over the years, we have seen Europe’s elite go head-to-head and treat fans to some of the most exhilarating contests.

With that said, let’s take a look at 10 of the most unforgettable matches in the history of the Champions League since its rebrand in the 1992/93 season.

10 Bayern Munich 8-2 Barcelona (2019/20)

Starting the list strongly is Bayern Munich’s stunning 8-2 victory over Spanish giants Barcelona.

The game took place in August 2020 inside an empty stadium following the return to football after the pandemic halted all competition earlier that year, and it was perhaps for the best that Barcelona fans were not present, in hindsight.

After just seven minutes, the scene had already been set when both sides had found the back of the net – albeit only with an own goal from Bayern defender David Alaba levelling the scores after Thomas Muller’s opener.

It was Bayern who would capitalise on the energetic start, though, and they found themselves going into the half-time interval with a 4-1 lead.

Hope was briefly restored for the Catalan side when Luis Suarez grabbed a goal back shortly before the hour mark, but Bayern would quickly respond by putting the game to bed. A late brace from Philippe Coutinho only added insult to injury, as the Brazilian midfielder was on loan to the Bundesliga side from Barcelona at the time.

Barcelona manager Quique Setien would be sacked just days later, while Bayern would go on to win the competition for the sixth time later that month.

9 Manchester City 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur (2018/19)

The 2018/19 quarter-final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur will forever be remembered for its incredible drama, particularly surrounding VAR, which was being debuted in that campaign.

An emphatic opening 20 minutes saw Tottenham trailing 3-2 on the night, though they had the advantage due to the away goals rule. Sergio Aguero gave City an aggregate lead just before the hour mark, but the drama was far from over.

A controversial goal from Spurs striker Fernando Llorente saw the north London side regain their lead, with a VAR check inspecting whether an arm was used to direct the ball into the goal going in the visitors’ favour.

Raheem Sterling then had the ball in the back of the net in the final minutes of injury time, but the goal was sensationally denied by VAR due to an offside earlier in the move, sending Spurs through to the semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history.

8 Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Malaga (2012/13)

Malaga’s unforgettable run in the 2012/13 Champions League season still to this day marks their only appearance in the competition, and they were only minutes away from reaching the semi-finals.

When Eliseu gave the Spanish side a shock 2-1 lead in the final minutes of the second leg, Dortmund needed to score at least twice, or they would be eliminated on away goals.

Marco Reus offered a glimpse of hope when he pulled one back in injury time, but it was defender Felipe Santana who stole the headlines when he won it for Dortmund in the final seconds of the game, despite Malaga’s calls for an offside.

Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund side would be narrowly beaten in the final by league rivals Bayern Munich that year, while Malaga have since been relegated as low as the third tier of Spanish football.

7 Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (2018/19)

When a Barcelona side featuring the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez gave Barcelona a 3-0 lead in the first leg of this 2018/19 semi-final, not even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans would have given them a chance at progressing through to the final – though the impossible was made possible.

The odds were heavily against Liverpool, and the absences of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino only added to their pre-match woes.

However, braces from Divock Origi and Gini Wijnaldum helped Liverpool pull off a huge upset to send Jurgen Klopp’s side through to the final, where they beat Premier League rivals Tottenham to become European champions for a sixth time.

6 Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain (2016/17)

In terms of the round of 16, there haven’t been many comebacks more incredible than Barcelona’s feat against PSG in the 2016/17 season.

After being stunned in a 4-0 loss in Paris, Luis Enrique’s side had effectively been written off by everyone in the footballing world.

Despite improbably finding themselves 3-0 up and appearing on their way to making the comeback without much trouble, the tie was seemingly concluded when Edinson Cavani scored a crucial away goal, meaning Barcelona needed another three goals in less than half an hour.

In typical Champions League fashion, Neymar scored a quick brace beyond the 88th minute, before defender Sergi Roberto completed the sensational comeback in the 95th minute of the game.

5 Chelsea 2-2 Barcelona (2011/12)

When a Chelsea side led by inexperienced interim coach Roberto Di Matteo earned a 1-0 win over reigning champions Barcelona, many still expected them to be blown away at Camp Nou.

A first-half red card to captain John Terry followed by a quick Barcelona double only made it seem more difficult to see Chelsea turning the game around, but fate was on their side that night.

Brazilian midfielder Ramires restored Chelsea’s advantage on away goals with an incredible chipped effort on the stroke of half-time, before Lionel Messi saw his penalty effort rebound off the crossbar after the break.

Despite being under severe pressure for the majority of the second half, 10-man Chelsea held their own against one of the most talented sides football has ever seen, and an injury-time breakaway saw Fernando Torres take the ball past Victor Valdes and famously send them through to the final.

4 Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (2021/22)

The semi-final fixture between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the 2021/22 campaign was one of the most action-packed encounters the competition has seen in recent years.

An incredible end-to-end first leg saw the English side come out on top with a 4-3 lead, and when Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the second leg with just over 15 minutes left to play, it seemingly put the game to bed.

Heading into injury time, Madrid needed to score twice just to bring the game to extra-time – which is when the unthinkable happened.

Rodrygo scored an unbelievable brace in less than two minutes, and from that moment onwards it was only ever going to result in victory for the Spanish side.

Karim Benzema converted a penalty in extra-time to complete one of the most dramatic semi-final comebacks the Champions League has ever seen, before going on to lift the trophy for the 14th time against Liverpool in the final.

3 Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (2013/14)

Another extraordinary Real Madrid comeback enters in third place, this time being in the Champions League final against fierce local rivals Atletico Madrid in 2014.

Having fallen behind to a Diego Godin header in the first half, Real Madrid had thrown everything at Thibaut Courtois’ goal, but to no avail. That was, of course, until the 93rd minute of the game in what was essentially going to be the last opportunity to bring the game beyond the full-time whistle.

Sergio Ramos found himself on the end of Luka Modric’s corner and nodded the ball past Courtois to bring life back into his side. They were able to run away with the result by scoring three quick goals in the final minutes of extra-time and finally getting their hands on “La Decima”.

2 Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (2004/05)

It’s the age-old debate amongst football fans regarding which Champions League final was better – 2004/05 or 1998/99.

In second place is Liverpool’s famous win over AC Milan. After conceding inside the first minute and then finding themselves 3-0 down at half-time to one of the most talented sides in the world, it was hard to see any other outcome than an AC Milan victory.

However, after 15 minutes of the second half, Liverpool had miraculously levelled the game, leaving it up for grabs for either side to take home the trophy.

Neither side could be separated before or after extra-time, meaning a penalty shootout would decide the winner.

Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek wrote his name in club folklore after saving the decisive penalty to hand the Anfield side the trophy for the fifth time in their history.

1 Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (1998/99)

While there isn’t much between the two finals in terms of thrill and excitement, what was at stake in the 1998/99 final and how it was won is what gives it the edge to be named the greatest Champions League game of all time.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side knew that a win over Bayern Munich would secure the domestic treble – a feat which had never been accomplished by an English side before then. However, an early goal from Munich’s Mario Basler looked to be the difference between the two sides, as the lead remained intact as the game was heading into stoppage time.

That was until the 91st minute of the game when Teddy Sheringham got on the end of Ryan Giggs’ effort and placed it past Oliver Kahn to level the scores and almost surely send the game to extra-time – but United weren’t finished.

Less than two minutes later, United had won another corner, and the rest is history. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found himself free at the far post to direct the ball into the roof of the net, and in a matter of minutes, Manchester United had gone from down and out to becoming the first-ever English side to complete the treble in the most dramatic fashion.

NBA superstar Kevin Durant, one of the highest earning basketball players of all time, has purchased a minority stake in football club Paris Saint-Germain.

Durant, 36, has signed a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the club’s majority owners, to explore a wide range of commercial, investment and content production opportunities.

He joins a growing list of American sports stars venturing into football, as perhaps the greatest NFL player of all time, Tom Brady, is a minority owner of English Championship club Birmingham City, while the likes of J.J. Watt, LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes have all invested in clubs dear to their hearts.

But as Durant teams up with one of the richest organisations in professional sports – QSI have a net worth of roughly $450bn – where does he stand amongst the highest earning athletes on the planet when off-field earnings are added to salaries?

Highest earning athletes in 2025 – total earnings (salary/wages + off field earnings)

10.

Kevin Durant

Basketball

$101.4m

9.

Shohei Ohtani

Baseball

$102.5m

8.

Karim Benzema

Football

$104m

7.

Juan Soto

Baseball

$114m

6.

LeBron James

Basketball

$133.8m

5.

Lionel Messi

Football

$135m

4.

Dak Prescott

American Football

$137m

3.

Tyson Fury

Boxing

$146m

2.

Stephen Curry

Basketball

$156m

1.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Football

$275m

10 Kevin Durant – $101.4m

Durant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, known primarily for his offensive abilities, where his 6 foot 10 frame and effortless jump shot make him a nightmare to defend.

A two-time NBA champion and one-time NBA MVP, his future is one of the biggest talking points of the upcoming off-season, with one-year remaining on his contract worth over $54m.

9 Shohei Ohtani – $102.5m

At 30 years old Ohtani is widely considered the best player in Major League Baseball due to his ability to both pitch and hit to an extremely high level.

The Japanese superstar signed a 10 year, $700m contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.

8 Karim Benzema – $104m

Benzema won the UEFA Champions League five times during his time with Real Madrid, but has signed the largest contract of his career with his current club, Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad.

The Frenchman, who has scored 37 goals in 97 appearances for his country and won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, earns over £800,000-a-week in Saudi Arabia, which is about $57m-a-year.

7 Juan Soto – $114m

Soto is a Dominican baseball player for the New York Mets, making the controversial switch from the New York Yankees in 2025.

He will earn a whopping $765m over the course of his 15-year contract with the Mets, but falls behind the top of the list due to lower off-field earnings.

6 LeBron James – $133.8m

Regarded as one of the two greatest basketball players of all time along with Michael Jordan, James takes a huge amount of his earnings from his sponsorship deal with Nike.

On the court, the NBA legend is owed over $50m by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26.

5 Lionel Messi – $135m

Perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, Messi opted for Major League Soccer in the USA over the riches of the Saudi Pro League, but still rakes in $135m courtesy of his contract with Inter Miami and sponsorship deals with companies such as Adidas.

The 12 best World Cup finals – ranked

The biggest game in the world doesn’t always live up to the billing, but these finals were all memorable in more ways than one.

ByBarney Lane Dec 26, 2024 4 Dak Prescott – $137m

Prescott signed the largest contract in American Football history in 2024, penning a four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys making him the first NFL player to cross the $60m-a-year barrier.

The 31 year-old was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 despite being drafted in the fourth round with the 135th pick.

3 Tyson Fury – $146m

Fury, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, took home $146m this year after his unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.

2 Stephen Curry – $156m

Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history, has won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and been crowned the league’s MVP on two occasions.

He is owed over $60m by the Warriors next season and rakes in millions through his commercial deals with the likes of Under Armour, Callaway and Subway.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo – $275m

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo’s current contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr is worth over £3m-a-week or around $4.5m, while he also earns an additional $50m in sponsor deals with the likes of Nike and Binance.