San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. has been on an absolute tear to start the 2025 MLB season. Not only is he hitting for power, but Tatis has also displayed an impressive ability to avoid striking out.
Through 21 games this season, Tatis has 12 strikeouts and is slashing .358/.436/.691 with eight home runs, 16 RBIs and seven stolen bases.
When asked about his improvements at the plate between last season and this year, Tatis nodded to a conversation he had with his father, former MLB player Fernando Tatis Sr., this winter. That conversation, Tatis told MLB insider Buster Olney, altered his approach to hitting as a whole and made him appreciate the difference between a reactive approach at the plate versus a more predictive one.
"My dad asked me if I was a good hitter. I told him, 'Yeah.' And he told me, 'No,'" Tatis said, via the podcast with Olney. When he asked his father why he wasn't a good hitter, his dad simply said, "Because you never hit .300 consistently."
Tatis Jr. admitted that conversation opened his eyes a bit, and added that his father encouraged him to try to become more consistent. While he is striving to maintain the aspects of his game that make him an elite talent, he's also aiming to improve at becoming better at the combination of reacting to what a pitcher throws him and predicting what he might throw next.
So far, the results have been plain to see. There's hardly a hitter in all of MLB that's been more versatile and dynamic as Tatis in 2025.
Siraj took three of the last four wickets on the fifth morning to seal an epic win at The Oval
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-20255:30
‘Such moments make you feel that the journey is worth it’
India captain Shubman Gill has said his team was “pretty confident” of taking the remaining four wickets on the final morning at The Oval to square the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.Late rain on day four dragged the game into the fifth day, leaving England needing 35 runs and India four wickets. Mohammed Siraj picked up three of the four to seal a stunning win.”Yeah, we were pretty confident,” Gill said at the post-match presentation. “Even yesterday, we knew that they [England] are a little bit under pressure. We just wanted to make sure that they’re feeling the pressure throughout. Pressure makes everyone do things that they don’t want to, and we just wanted to make sure that they’re feeling the pressure throughout.Related
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“I think the way both the teams played in the entire series, every day coming on day four, day five, and never really knowing which team is going to win… it shows that both the teams came up with their A game and very happy to get over the line in this one.”Joe Root had said that the use of a heavy roller would benefit England on the fifth morning, but Siraj and Prasidh Krishna worked in tandem to give no respite to Jamie Smith and the tail.”When bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh are bowling like that then 35 runs is also too much,” Gill said at the post-match press conference. “As a batsman, you are under pressure as you feel the ball is doing something and it takes just one ball. And that is what we were reminding them about frequently. If the conditions are like this and the momentum is with you, then 30-35 runs is enough, then you know it is a matter of one or two balls falling in the right place and the game will get over there and then.”Gill said that India never thought about taking the second new ball, considering the movement both his strike bowlers had been getting since day four. “Also, we had the wicket-taking option on this wicket,” Gill said. “If they had to make the runs, they would need to score boundaries. We knew they were under pressure because in such a position the batting team is under pressure because it is matter of one ball.”Having been left heartbroken after he was the last man dismissed in the Lord’s Test last month, Siraj finished the game this time with the ball, when his pinpoint yorker uprooted Gus Atkinson’s off stump. Siraj put in a big shift, with his 30.1 overs in the fourth innings bringing him five wickets.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
“Yes, definitely, he’s a captain’s dream”, Gill said of Siraj. “Coming in five Test matches, every ball, every spell that he bowled gave his all out, and every captain, every team wants a player like him. We are very fortunate to have him in our team.”While Siraj won the Player-of-the-Match award, Gill was chosen as India’s Player of the Series by the opposition coach Brendon McCullum for his chart-topping 754 runs in ten innings at an average of 75.40. Gill’s series aggregate is the second-highest for a captain behind Don Bradman’s 810 against England in the 1936-37 Ashes. No other batter has scored more runs in a series between England and India, going past Graham Gooch’s 752 runs in 1990.”Feels very rewarding,” Gill said. “I worked pretty hard before the start of the series. There were certain things that I wanted to work on as a batsman, and it was my goal to be able to be the best batter of the series. And to be able to accomplish that goal feels very satisfying and very rewarding.”I think once you are sorted mentally, you would be in a good space. But you’re only sorted mentally when you’re feeling technically correct. So, I think they’re both kind of correlated. If you feel like you’re getting in good positions, you’re always mentally more stable.”3:49
Bangar: Series result proves India is growing in stature
‘We want to be looked as a gun team’Having started the new WTC cycle with a series-levelling win, India are currently third on the table with 28 points in five matches. “This series was very important for us because the kind of maturity every player would feel [at] the end of the series would really help us in the long run in this WTC cycle,” Gill said.Asked if he would have felt the same had England chased the target, Gill admitted that his “feelings would definitely be slightly different”.”I think the scorecard of the series could not have really depicted what kind of cricket we played,” he said. “But this scorecard of the series that we have right now really shows how both teams played. This win was important for us to be able to get that morale high, especially after the kind of cricket that we have played over the course of two months.”When Gill’s India had landed in the United Kingdom in June, there were several questions asked – whether his team had the experience and the personnel to challenge Ben Stokes’ men. Two months later, India depart with the series shared. Gill credited head coach Gautam Gambhir for building the confidence of the team.”At the start of the series Gauti [Gambhir] said: ‘yes, we are a young team, but we don’t want to be looked as a young team; we want to be looked as a gun team’. And the way we played it today showed us that why we are a gun team, and we have gun players like him [Siraj] in our team and that’s what makes this team so special.”
Laura Harvey, who has coached the Seattle Reign since 2021, revealed that she used ChatGPT to help form her tactics this season. The English manager admitted that the AI system helped her lay out a defensive system, which she then put into place for her playoff-bound Reign ahead of the campaign. They are currently fourth in the NWSL after finishing 13th last season.
Using AI for soccer
Harvey conceded that AI was instrumental in her team's success this season – and in a very direct way, too. In an appearance on the , Harvey admitted that she asked ChatGPT to help her form her team ahead of the season.
She typed in “What formation should you play to beat NWSL teams?” and it yielded suggestions for how to play against every other NWSL side. The technology recommended she play five at the back against two of them, she said, which served as the base for her tactics throughout the year.
AdvertisementImagnA new formation
Harvey pointed out that the technology was instrumental in helping her think about her tactical setup in new ways. Despite being in managerial roles for nearly 20 years, she admitted hadn't played a five-at-the-back system before, but the analysis from ChatGPT gave her a nudge towards a different way of playing – one that has proved immensely successful this year.
"I'd never really done a lot of research on it," she said. "I'd never really, like, invested into how it could be played in the women's game. I'd only ever really seen it from afar, you know, watching men's games really."
She found, for example, that a five-back system could be applied throughout a game, rather than to just hold onto late leads:
"It was always sort of talked about as a way to see games out. You know, [you go ahead] and get into a back five and stop people from scoring, was sort of how, like, a back five had been talked about for me," she said.
IMAGNA template, not a recommendation
Harvey was quick to emphasize, though, that she didn't derive her exact system from the technology. The recommendation sparked an idea, which she then encouraged her coaching staff to study, which yielded a new system altogether.
"We researched it, we did a deep dive on it, we thought about how we could play it,” she continued. “And we went for it, and we liked it. It worked. We won the game."
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Getty ImagesAn improvement this season
Whatever changes AI recommended have certainly worked. The Reign were among the worst teams in the league last season, and finished 13th out of 14 teams. This year, they are fourth, have won 10 out of their 25 games, and, depending on results elsewhere, could secure home field advantage for at least one round of the playoffs.
Thibaut Courtois claimed that Real Madrid are "expecting a victory" in El Clasico as Barcelona prepare for their biggest test in a bid to retain the La Liga crown. Los Blancos have had a smooth sailing so far this campaign, but there remains a blot, a significant one. Their scars from their 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Atletico Madrid last month still sting like an open wound.
Madrid's fragile recovery before the storm
After the derby loss, tempers reportedly flared. Senior players questioned the younger members’ professionalism and preparation. Manager Xabi Alonso, who is facing the toughest test of his short Madrid reign, gathered his staff for an emergency post-mortem. Even the club’s hierarchy began to whisper that the issues ran beyond formations. Since that humiliation, Madrid’s response has been steady but far from emphatic. Wins in La Liga and a hard-fought Champions League victory against Juventus have soothed the tension, but the real test looms this weekend when Barcelona will visit the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Courtois confident ahead of Barca showdown
Although questions are being asked of Real Madrid's form, Courtois has made it clear that they aren’t walking into this one to merely compete, but to conquer.
“Both teams arrive well, so it is going to be a great match," he said. "After having lost several games against them last year, this year we can win to be able to open a gap. It’s going to be a great game. We expect a victory, always with respect for them.”
Madrid’s midweek Champions League win against Juventus was a test of nerve as much as skill and Courtois praised his teammates’ grit after the narrow win in front of their own fans.
"Very happy with the victory," he said. "It was a very tough and hard-fought game, with chances on both sides of the pitch. We have taken it with a lot of sweat and it is a victory against a big team. We have added 9 points out of 9, and now it’s time to go to Anfield. In the end they are Juve, it’s not a small team. They defend eleven quite low and look for the counter. It’s not easy, you need rhythm, to move from one side to the other with the wingers more open and so we made more danger with Vini. They have hurt us and we have to be attentive for Sunday.”
Courtois reserved special praise for Jude Bellingham, whose anticipation of a loose ball led to Madrid’s winning goal.
"That’s what I like about this type of player," he said. "Vini makes the action and he is aware of the second play because the ball can fall where he has gone. He played a great game, like the whole team. We lacked to score the 2-0 to be calmer, but we can be happy with the victory.”
Barcelona’s defensive overhaul for the Mbappe threat
Across Spain, in Catalonia, Barcelona are leaving nothing to chance. After their 6-1 demolition of a Greek side in Europe, confidence is high, but the preparation for El Clasico has been clinical and calculated. Defender Pau Cubarsi revealed that Barcelona have been “tweaking four key defensive elements” to contain Real Madrid’s explosive front line, especially Kylian Mbappe.
“Everyone knows who Mbappe is. We have to keep an eye on him and all of Madrid's world-class players," Cubarsi told reporters. “We've tweaked four things and it has to go well for us. We'll have to stop him in the best way possible, but especially focus on ourselves. We have to continue with our philosophy. Last year went well. Now the teams have evolved, but if we tweak a few things, we can improve."
Asked about Vinicius, he added: "He's an agile and quick striker who moves into space. We have to be very alert at the back to stop him."
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Injuries and Pressure: The Bernabeu Awaits
For Alonso, El Clasico isn’t just another match, especially after the humiliation in the Madrid derby. A victory would silence doubters and reignite belief that Real Madrid can reclaim their throne. A defeat, however, could deepen the cracks first exposed by Atletico. Their task gets more complicated as Los Blancos will be without David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Carvajal. In the absence of a recognised right-back, Fede Valverde will once again slot in as the wide man. A chink in the armour that Hansi Flick will definitely like to capitalise on Sunday afternoon.
Just 21 wickets in four days at Trent Bridge as spinners struggle to exploit hybrid pitch
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 25-Jun-2025Pocketing 12 points for a draw was enough to keep Nottinghamshire top of the Rothesay County Championship table with eight of 14 matches played, although they now find defending champions Surrey breathing down their necks after the match against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge ended in stalemate.Nottinghamshire led Division One by 10 points going into this round but Surrey’s victory over Worcestershire at New Road has closed the gap to two ahead of next week’s second batch of fixtures with the Kookaburra ball, when Surrey meet Durham at the Kia Oval and Nottinghamshire travel to Somerset.Matthew Revis supplemented Finlay Bean’s superb double-hundred for with an unbeaten 93 but with Yorkshire’s first innings stretching to lunch on day four before Nottinghamshire could bowl them out for 510 on a generally benign pitch, the chances of a positive outcome were almost non-existent.Part-time off-spinner Freddie McCann finished with a career-best three for 53 before Nottinghamshire, who had made 487 in their first innings, reached 148 for one in their second innings, opener Ben Slater passing fifty for the sixth consecutive innings – four of them against Yorkshire – in making an unbeaten 74. The players shook hands on a draw at ten to five.All-rounder Liam Patterson-White, who was three for 129 from 52 overs of left-arm spin overnight, could not add to his wickets tally in Yorkshire’s first innings, but the additional 10 overs in his final analysis of three for 146 puts him 10th in Nottinghamshire’s table of bowling marathons.Not since 1929, when off-spinner Sam Staples sent down 408 deliveries – also against Yorkshire – to claim fourth spot in that list, has any bowler exceeded Patterson-White’s 372 bowled in a single first-class innings for the county.Farhan Ahmed, the 17-year-old off-spinner, bowled 50 overs for his one for 126, although it is not the first time he has hit that milestone despite this being only his 13th match. In the draw against Surrey here last year – also played with the Kookaburra ball – when he broke all manner of records in taking his career-best seven for 140 on his Championship debut, he was in his 51st over when he took his final wicket.With little help for the seam bowlers in using the Kookaburra ball, Nottinghamshire had hoped that a used, hybrid pitch in the prevailing dry conditions might provide significant assistance to the spinners. Yet though two thirds of the Yorkshire innings was against spin, there was never enough turn to unsettle the more capable batters hugely.McCann found some turn, bowling George Hill (30) and Jack White – the former via an inside edge – and having Dom Bess (26) stumped, but by then the Yorkshire innings was beginning to peter out. Will O’Rourke departed in a somewhat farcical run-out.Yorkshire’s left-armer, Dan Moriarty, bowled Haseeb Hameed, but Nottinghamshire were otherwise untroubled through the 48 overs that remained in the match – even when Yorkshire skipper Jonny Bairstow, having handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Bean for the final session, brought himself on to bowl in what turned out to be the last over of the match.His over of what appeared to be off-spin was only his second in professional cricket, the other – also wicketless – having been against Durham in 2014.
Raphinha had a phenomenal 2024-25 season, but in the summer of 2024, he was one of the players Barcelona were desperate to offload him. The Brazil international has previously stated that he would've considered a departure because he was struggling mentally. In a recent interview, he reiterated that "the offer from Saudi Arabia really tempted me", but conversations with Hansi Flick changed his mind.
Raphinha was on the verge of leaving Barcelona
Raphinha had two underwhelming seasons at the Camp Nou ever since he arrived from Leeds in 2022. In the summer of 2024, the Catalans found themselves in both sporting and financial turmoil, with the winger one of the players the club was keen on selling. However, a phone call with Flick changed his mind.
"I was thinking about leaving Barca after the 2024 Copa America," he said back in March. “I wasn’t feeling mentally comfortable until Flick called me. Every day, there were rumours about me signing for one team or another. Things didn’t go as they should have; I had a worse season than expected, and I saw people asking me to leave while reports of my departure surfaced daily. I seriously considered leaving."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRaphinha admits he would have accepted Saudi offer
In April, reports surfaced that Al-Hilal were preparing a mouth-watering bid worth €100 million (£87m/$117m) and a four-year contract worth €170m (£150m/$200m). At the time, he conceded that he would have accepted the offer.
Now, in a recent interview with , the 28-year-old said that accepting the offer from Saudi in 2024 "would have changed my life."
"I've been playing football since I was 15, I've been through good times and bad times everywhere, so there came a point when I thought it was time to take care of myself and my family. The offer we had from Saudi Arabia really tempted me. It would have solved not just my personal life, but also the lives of my parents, my son… a lot of people.
"Obviously, we thought about leaving [Barcelona]. I thought it might be time to leave, but then we talked to [Flick], first on the phone and then at the beginning of the preseason, and he managed to convince me to stay. I'm glad he did."
A memorable 2024-25 season: Raphinha becomes Ballon d'Or contender
The Porto Alegre-born attacker smashed Champions League records and scored important goals in some of the biggest games, including several goals against rivals Real Madrid, a Champions League hat-trick against Bayern Munich, as well as a crucial goal in the final minute of the semi-final second leg against Inter at San Siro. In all, he scored 34 goals and produced 26 assists in 57 games for La Blaugrana, achieving a career-best fifth-place finish at the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings.
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AFPFitness issues threaten Raphinha's availability for Barca in El Clasico
The former Vitoria de Guimaraes wonderkid penned a new deal last season, which will see him remain in Catalunya until 2028. He began the 2025-26 season in similar vein, scoring three goals and registering two assists in six La Liga games so far. However, the Catalans' mounting injury crisis was only exacerbated by the hamstring issue suffered by Raphinha, which saw him take no part in the 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. He is expected to remain on the sidelines until next week, which means he will, in all likelihood, miss the La Liga encounter against neighbours Girona. He could be fit in time for the high-voltage clash against Real Madrid on October 26.
West Ham United co-owner Daniel Kretinsky could advocate for a “natural winner” to replace Graham Potter as manager, if the poor results continue.
Potter under pressure after "Spursy" performance
Following the 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur, former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has been very critical of Potter, saying: “I don’t want to be disrespectful to a manager, but sometimes you look at things and you think, ‘Do you know what? I’m not sure what he’s bringing to the table as a manager.
“West Ham yesterday looked as Spursy as Spurs have ever been. They looked like when Spurs were at their worst and times under Ange where they looked like they were going to concede for fun.”
As such, the 50-year-old is clearly under mounting pressure, with widespread reports suggesting Nuno is being considered as a potential replacement, alongside former Hammer Frank Lampard, given the job the Englishman has done at Coventry City.
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At the end of August, Jose Mourinho was also named as the leading candidate to replace Potter, and there has now been a new update on the Hammers’ interest in the former Chelsea manager.
According to a report from Claret & Hugh, West Ham co-owner Kretinsky could advocate for the appointment of Mourinho, should the poor results continue.
However, the report also makes it clear that the Portuguese manager has been largely discounted, so it remains to be seen whether Kretinsky would be able to convince the rest of the board to make a move.
"Natural winner" Mourinho could be divisive appointment
The 62-year-old has undoubtedly achieved a lot in football, winning the World’s Best Club Coach award on four occasions, courtesy of lifting Premier League, Serie A and La Liga titles, as well as the Champions League on two occasions.
However, it seems likely the recently-sacked former Fenerbahçe manager would be a divisive appointment, not least because of his links to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Not only that, but the former Spurs boss is clearly not the manager he once was, having been sacked by Daniel Levy after just 17 months in charge, while also failing to win a trophy during his recent spell in Turkey.
Consequently, despite being lauded as a “natural winner” by journalist Josh Bunting in the past, it may be wise to avoid making a move for Mourinho, and instead appoint Nuno, given that the 51-year-old transformed Nottingham Forest from relegation candidates into a Europa League side.
Former footballer Karl Henry also praised the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers boss for the job he did at Molineux.
Rashid Khan’s MI Cape Town have been crowned the new champions of the SA20, after they denied Aiden Markram’s Sunrisers Eastern Cape a three-peat and decimated them for the third time this season, in front of a packed crowd at the Wanderers.After opting to bat, MICT felt at home – all of their top five play for Lions at the Wanderers – and sent the ball flying over the boundaries in the Highveld. The rarefied air suited their style of play: despite losing wickets, MICT kept attacking and posted 181 for 8 on the back of electric cameos. Three of their batters passed 30 and all of them struck at 150 or above. It was Dewald Brevis who truly brought the crowd alive with his 18-ball 38. Brevis, 21, capped the season as its rising star.MICT’s older stars Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada then wrecked Sunrisers’ chase by sharing six wickets between them. Boult, in particular, hooped the new ball both ways in the powerplay, and ended with 4-0-9-2. Rashid and George Linde, the left-arm fingerspinner, then ramped up the pressure in the middle overs before Rabada wrapped up the victory. Sunrisers folded for 105 in 18.4 overs.MI have now ticked off title wins in every franchise T20 tournament they’ve been part of. IPL, CLT20 (now defunct), WPL, MLC, ILT20, SA20.
Rickelton fires opening salvo
Ryan Rickelton threw the first punch at Marco Jansen, the best bowler of the competition, taking him for 29 off nine balls at an eye-popping strike rate of 322.22. When Jansen pitched it up, Rickelton pumped him over his head and then, when he shortened his lengths, Rickelton used the rarefied air of the Highveld to his advantage and hooked him away over the leg side.However, when Craig Overton took pace off, Rickelton couldn’t manufacture his own pace and ended up chipping a catch to mid-off.As for Rassie van der Dussen, he also showed attacking intent on the occasions he manufactured swinging room, but his execution wasn’t as good as Rickelton’s. Van der Dussen made 23 off 25 balls before Liam Dawson had him stumped in the ninth over. By then, Reeza Hendricks had also fallen to Richard Gleeson for a duck.
Brevis intervention
When it seemed like Sunrisers had seized control, Brevis intervened and put MICT back on track for a tall total. He walloped Dawson for back-to-back sixes down the ground and proceeded to line up Andile Simelane, who had replaced the injured Ottneil Baartman. Playing only his second SA20 game, Simelane wilted under pressure and leaked 14 in the only over he bowled.Kagiso Rabada struck in his first over and claimed four wickets in all•SA20
Brevis then brought the roof down at the Wanderers when he launched a one-handed six off a slower variation from Overton in the 15th over. Linde, who had been promoted to No.5 to counter Dawson’s left-arm fingerspin, also did his job, hitting him for two sixes. When he attempted another six, he failed to clear long-off.After having been taken to the cleaners in the early exchanges, Jansen bounced back to cut Brevis’ innings short.Markram didn’t want to risk Similane at the death and hence decided to take matters into his own hands in the 17th over. Though he got rid of Connor Esterhuizen, the batter had already done the damage with a sequence of 6,6,4 in an 18-run over.Delano Potgieter and Rabada then ensured MICT breached 180.
MICT’s bowling masterclass
That total looked a whole lot bigger when Boult, especially, made Sunrisers’ batters look silly in the powerplay. After he softened David Bedingham with inswingers, Rabada made the incision by having the batter chipping a catch to short cover for 5. Boult got his first wicket of the evening when he drew a leading edge from Jordan Hermann for 1.Boult had scarcely believable powerplay figures of 3-0-4-1 before he returned at the death to trick Tristan Subbs with a slower variation. Tom Abell briefly countered MICT’s strikes before Linde had him stumped for 30 off 25 balls. Linde continued to keep it tight along with his captain Rashid, who pinned Tony de Zorzi lbw for 26 in a boundary-less spell. During their chase, Sunrisers went without a boundary for 45 balls.Dawson ended the drought when he sent a thick outside-edge flying to the boundary off Rabada but the quick sunk the Sunrisers’ lower order with his nifty variations.From finishing bottom of the table in the first two seasons of the SA20, MICT clinched their first title on Saturday and celebrated under firework-filled skies.
Gary Lineker has been best known for his presenter roles over the last 25 years, however, in his playing days, he was one of England’s greatest strikers.
At club level, Lineker starred for Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham, while also heading to Barcelona in 1986, the same year he won the Golden Boot at the World Cup for the Three Lions.
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The ex-forward, who almost signed for Manchester United before heading to Spurs in 1989, never received a yellow or red card during his career.
But who does Lineker see as his greatest of all time? He answered that question and, despite honourable mentions for Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane, Lineker named his four-player Mount Rushmore of all-time greats, with no room for Cristiano Ronaldo.
4 Pele Brazil
An attacking icon for more than 20 years from 1956, Pele actually holds the record for most goals scored with 1,279 in 1,363 games.
He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and at club level, spent 18 years with Santos. Pele was the first player on Lineker’s Mount Rushmore, and following his passing in 2022, Lineker said:
“Pele’s hugely significant in not only the development of football, but also in football itself and the enjoyment of football – which is the most important thing. It’s an entertainment business, and he was one of the great entertainers – through his pure skill, talent and ability. He was also a proven goalscorer.
“Pele was an out-and-out goalscorer, and he’s played a huge part in football. The name Pele is just synonymous with football.”
3 Diego Maradona Argentina
Next on Lineker’s Mount Rushmore is someone who broke his and England’s hearts at the 1986 World Cup, Diego Maradona.
His famous Hand of God goal against England on the biggest stage has gone down in history, but he also scored one of the best individual goals in the same game to help Argentina win 2-1.
Maradona took his country to a World Cup triumph that year, and at club level, he starred for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell’s Old Boys.
Following Maradona’s passing, Lineker said: “By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God.”
2 Ronaldo Brazil
Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, nicknamed O Fenomeno and R9, also makes Lineker’s list, with the powerful striker winning two World Cups for Brazil.
As Lineker states, Ronaldo missed large parts of his career through injury, but when he was fully fit or close to 100%, he was unstoppable on his day.
1 Lionel Messi Argentina
Rounding off Lineker’s Mount Rushmore is Lionel Messi, who tops the charts as his “favourite player of all time”.
With his ties to Barcelona, the Englishman has been vocal in his thoughts about Messi all throughout the Argentine’s career, calling him “a gift from the footballing Gods”.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, finally lifted the World Cup in 2022, with Lineker calling the magician “the best player of all time”.
Nottingham Forest are ready to tackle the 2025/26 season, having qualified for the Europa League after an exemplary effort under Nuno Espirito Santo’s wing last year.
But there’s a sense that Forest’s term was more than just a flash in the pan; rather, it is the foundation of a period of sustained success that will keep the club not just away from relegation battles each year but in contention to challenge out on the continent and compete for domestic silverware.
The Tricky Trees will have to engage in a new balancing act as they look to challenge for another European title, which makes the hopes of matching or even bettering last year’s remarkable seventh-place finish all the more difficult, but it’s hardly outside the realm of possibility.
Because who can say that Evangelos Marinakis has been resting on his laurels? Tottenham Hotspur’s illegal approach for Morgan Gibbs-White has been fended off, and the recruitment team are now gearing up to put the final flourishes on a terrific transfer window.
Nott'm Forest's late window plans
The Athletic’s David Ornstein has confirmed that a £30m package has been agreed for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee, with the England U21 international efficient both in deeper and more advanced midfield roles.
England's JamesMcAteereacts
The 22-year-old is considered a technically gifted player with an eye for goal, an ability to split defences with his passing and impressive off-the-ball movements, the last of which will see him thrive in Nuno’s counter-attacking system.
Such midfield qualities would certainly help the likes of Omari Hutchinson, who is set to move to the City Ground from Ipswich Town, and new striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, with a £26m agreement in place with the 23-year-old’s French employers, Rennes. The versatile forward scored 18 goals across 34 matches last year.
Kalimuendo
Though McAtee and Hutchinson have already taken their first steps in the Premier League, Forest hope to add to their ranks a more established player within the England game, one who could lead and orchestrate from the middle.
Forest open talks for new midfielder
According to Sky Sports News, Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Juventus as they look to sign Douglas Luiz before the end of the month.
The former Aston Villa midfielder has struggled to perform in Italy, though injuries have not helped, and the Old Lady are understood to be open to cashing in if their £34m valuation is met. How such a package would be structured is unknown.
It’s been confirmed that two Premier League outfits have submitted formal offers for the 27-year-old, though whether this is Forest or one (or more) of their rivals is uncertain at this stage.
Why Forest want Douglas Luiz
Luiz might have flattered to deceive across his year in Italy, but none can argue he hasn’t proven himself and then some in the Premier League before.
Juventus'DouglasLuizreacts
Indeed, Luiz has been described by ESPN Brazil’s Leonardo Bertozzi in the past as being a “world-class” player, so landing him certainly signals a statement of intent.
Last year, the Brazil international left plenty to be desired in Turin, but his efforts with Unai Emery’s Aston Villa the year before even led The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell to hail him as “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders.”
Matches (starts)
35 (35)
19 (3)
Goals
9
0
Assists
5
0
Touches*
70.1
27.3
Pass completion
89%
90%
Big chances created
10
3
Key passes*
1.5
0.8
Dribbles*
0.7
0.6
Ball recoveries*
5.5
1.6
Tackles*
1.7
0.9
Duels (won)*
4.2 (51%)
1.9 (55%)
An all-action midfielder who covers plenty of ground, Luiz would be the perfect centrepiece to complete this Forest project, charging the engine room with energy and steel and style, all wrapped together with the completeness that the manager demands.
In this way, he could be the perfect proven partner for a talented up-and-comer such as McAtee.
Hailed by Pep Guardiola for his “special talent”, the English midfielder’s likeness to Luiz would aid both his personal development and his synergy with the South American in the centre. After all, data-driven site FBref record McAtee to rank among the top 1% of attacking midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 6% for tackles won per 90.
Luiz, however, typically sits deeper, with 103 of his 204 outings in an Aston Villa shirt coming from the deep-lying midfield spot. His progressive passing and combative defending make for compelling viewing, and it’s the efficiency of his blend of qualities that has seen Espirito Santo work with Marinakis’ web of recruitment officers to push ahead with a deal.
Though Gibbs-White’s continuing presence in the City Ground senior squad has eased the need for midfield reinforcements, that aforementioned emphasis on competing across multiple fronts this term while avoiding a regression that would pull the team toward the lower levels of the Premier League suggests that this double deal is necessary to ensure the team go from strength to strength.
Luiz was an essential part of Villa Park’s rise into Europe, and though he was forced to leave the club before tasting the fruits of his labours due to PSR concerns, he could now return to English shores and guide Forest as they make their way into the Europa League.
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz
McAtee has the opportunity to contribute too, and with a mentor and partner like Luiz beside him, this club might just find that the best days are still ahead.
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