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Diego Maradona Urged Real Madrid To Sell Gareth Bale For Mbappe in 2017

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Diego Maradona was one of the greatest footballers to have ever lived. For some, he ranks even higher than the likes of Lionel Messi, Pele, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The iconic Argentine led his nation to World Cup glory in 1986, and also won Serie A twice with Napoli, as well as winning major honours with Boca Juniors and Barcelona. Truthfully, though, his impact on football cannot be measured by trophies – it was something more fantastical than simple statistics.

With that in mind, whenever Maradona spoke about the beautiful game, it was always wise to pay attention. In 2017, he eyed up one player he felt would be the next big thing in football, and urged Real Madrid to snap him up.

Maradona Urged Florentino Perez To Sell Gareth Bale

gareth bale

As a former Barcelona player, some may be surprised to hear Maradona talking about which players rivals Real Madrid should buy. Evidently, though, he had some kind of relationship with club president Florentino Perez.

The two met at a FIFA event in 2017 – roughly three years before Maradona’s death – and the Argentine could not help but sing the praises of Kylian Mbappe. He was so impressed by the then-teenager, he even claimed the Spanish giants should offload Gareth Bale to make way for the French winger:

“Mbappe, for me he is the big revelation in football. I think he can surpass many players. And why did [Perez] not sign him? I told him! It was when we saw each other at FIFA.

“He said to me, ‘[but] you know I have Cristiano’.”

“Sell Bale, give Bale away. He will surely be a makeweight for something, and Florentino will be left with half of Madrid or half of Italy and Bale will play for AC Milan or Inter.

“But I think they have to buy Mbappe.”

Mbappe Has Had Incredible Career Since

At the time, Mbappe would have still been in his teens, but Maradona was clearly dazzled by the young winger. He scored an impressive 27 goals and picked up 16 assists in 60 games for AS Monaco before all the big clubs came swooping.

Around the same time as Maradona urged Madrid to make their move, French giants Paris Saint-Germain flexed their financial muscles and announced the signing of Mbappe from Monaco on loan with a mandatory purchase option of €180m. The youngster would be a massive hit, bagging 256 goals and claiming a further 110 assists in 308 games, while also getting his hands on six Ligue 1 titles.

All the while Bale fell further and further out of favour in Madrid. Admittedly, he impressed in 2017/18, scoring that iconic bicycle kick in the Champions League final, but his influence on the team steadily faded. By 2019, he was as good as unwanted under Zinedine Zidane and ended up on loan at Tottenham Hotspur in 2020 before his eventual exit in 2022.

Even Ronaldo didn’t spend much longer at Real Madrid, leaving in 2018, not long after Perez had argued that he couldn’t sign Mbappe with the Portuguese forward in the team already. While they wouldn’t land the Frenchman in the short term, he did eventually make his way to Madrid.

After years of repeated rumours, Los Blancos announced that they’d finally landed their man in June 2024, with the winger signing a five-year contract. While he’s yet to win La Liga or Champions League with the Spanish outfit, goals have not been an issue and major trophies in that bracket seem inevitable.

Mbappe’s Career Stats

Club

Games

Goals

Assists

Monaco

60

27

16

PSG

308

256

110

Real Madrid

75

62

7

France

94

55

40

Maradona was certainly right to highlight Mbappe as a player with the potential to become one of the best in the world in 2017, and the Argentine would have witnessed the crowning moment of his career so far, in which he scored twice as France won the 2018 World Cup.

Still only 26 years old, Mbappe has become the youngest ever footballer to score 400 goals for club and country, setting the record earlier in 2025. His career has been so special already, and you get the sense that even more great achievements are on the horizon.

Stats via Transfermarkt – as of 20/11/25

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Ipswich Eyeing Derek McInnes Hijack Amid Rangers Pursuit

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Rangers are pushing to appoint Hearts manager Derek McInnes as their new manager, but a Premier League club wants to hijack the move.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl is a target for RB Salzburg, and the Austrian side are closing in on appointing him as their new boss.

The Glasgow giants are working quickly to find a replacement, with McInnes targeted as their priority option.

McInnes is in line to replace Rohl at Ibrox, with Rangers making a huge move to poach him from their Scottish rivals.

A deal is yet to be 100% confirmed, leaving the door open for another club to make a move and hijack the appointment.

Rangers need to act fast, as they could miss out on their priority target.


Rangers' stadium, Ibrox


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Premier League Club Eyeing Rangers Hijack

Derek McInnes in the Hearts dugout

According to a report from Football Insider, Ipswich Town, who were recently promoted to the Premier League, want to interview McInnes to become their next manager.

Ipswich are in the market for a replacement for Kieran McKenna, who confirmed that he would be taking a step away from football, leaving the club following their promotion.

Ipswich could now be entering the battle alongside Rangers for McInnes, despite reports suggesting that Rangers have agreed a deal.

It’s unclear whether McInnes would be interested in a move to Ipswich, but Rangers will likely be worried about a potential hijack.

It can now be a competitive race for the signature of McInnes, who helped transform Hearts during the 2025-2026 season.

England World Cup Quiz

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Rangers Will be Sweating Over Ipswich Interest

Outside Rangers' stadium, Ibrox

As mentioned, it’s unclear whether McInnes would even be interested in a move to Ipswich, but it is often the goal of many managers to work in the Premier League.

Being a Scottish manager himself, McInnes might be looking to stay in his home country rather than making the move down south.

Despite that, managing in the Premier League is often an attractive prospect to many, and he could be tempted if Ipswich make an official move.

Either way, Rangers will be sweating over the potential interest from Ipswich, and they’ll be hoping to get a deal officially confirmed as soon as possible.

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Donald Trump Reacts to New York Knicks’ Historic NBA Championship Win

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As the New York Knicks celebrated their first NBA Championship in more than five decades, congratulations poured in from across the sporting world and beyond.

Among those reacting to the New York Knicks’ historic triumph was US President Donald Trump, who took to social media to praise the franchise following its long-awaited success.

Securing the title after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the Finals to take an unassailable 4-1 lead in the series, the Knicks ended a drought that stretched back to 1973.

The result sparked scenes of celebration across New York, with fans flooding the streets as the East Coast team finally returned to the top.

Donald Trump’s Reaction to the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals Victory

Donald Trump

Trump joined the conversation shortly after the final buzzer, sharing a message that applauded the team’s achievement and reflected on the significance of the moment.

On the eve of his 80th birthday, the President praised the Knicks in a message posted on his Truth Social platform after they delivered a championship to one of the league’s most passionate fanbases in the division.

In his post, Trump described the Knicks’ playoff run as “maybe the greatest in the history of basketball” and congratulated the team on ending its decades-long wait for another title.

“Congratulations to Jim Dolan and the New York Knicks,” Trump began. Knicks owner Dolan invited Trump to Game 3 of the series, where he was roundly booed.

“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four. Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”

Trump Celebrates ‘Superstar’ Player After New York Knicks’ Triumph

Trump also acknowledged several members of the team who played key roles as the Knicks completed their journey to the summit. Among those mentioned was Jalen Brunson, who has emerged as the face of the Knicks’ resurgence over the past few years.

“Also, tonight, a superstar was born. His name is Jalen Brunson, and there are others, including, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and great Patriot, Mitchell Robinson!”

Point guard Brunson proved why he is considered one of the sport’s premier performers, producing a standout display on arguably the biggest stage he’s graced.

Brunson’s influence throughout the final was impossible to ignore. Time and time again, the 29-year-old delivered when his team needed him most, combining scoring, leadership, and composure under pressure. The 45 points he scored on Saturday night helped the Knicks erase a 16-point deficit and ultimately claim glory.

New York Knicks Celebrate Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

His performances helped guide New York through a tightly contested series and ultimately earned him Finals MVP honours alongside the great Michael Jordan, with the achievement adding another chapter to his remarkable story.

More than half a century after their last NBA championship, the Knicks have finally brought it back to the Big Apple.

With Brunson leading the charge on the court and praise arriving from the highest levels, this triumph from James Dolan and his team has cemented itself as one of the defining sports stories of the year.

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Andy Robertson Finds ‘Hack’ to Beat FIFA’s New Throw-In Rule

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Scotland’s Andy Robertson has already found a ‘hack’ to beat FIFA’s brand new throw-in rule introduced for the 2026 World Cup finals.

Robertson played the full 90 minutes as Scotland began their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Haiti.

With Morocco and Brazil still to play, victory over Haiti was vital for the Scots’ chances of progressing to the knockout stages. Aston Villa’s John McGinn scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half.

Robertson, who recently left Liverpool to sign for Tottenham, became the first captain to lead Scotland out at a World Cup match since Colin Hendry in 1998. He told BBC Scotland:

“What an amazing feeling. The lads achieved their dreams today.”

The full-back added: “It was such a long day waiting, I can’t imagine what the fans back home were like staying up so late.

“The fact we managed to walk out on to the pitch and sing the national anthem together, it was so special. To then go and follow it up with a win, it doesn’t get much better than that.

“Three important points. People expected us to win, but we had to go out and do it. It was so important to win that game and I’m glad we did it.”


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Robertson Appears to Find Throw-In Loophole

Andy Robertson David Butler Ii via Reuters

During the match, with Scotland protecting their one-goal lead, eagle-eyed fans spotted Robertson bending one of FIFA’s new rules to avoid punishment.

The new throw-in rule states that players will now receive a five-second countdown if they are deliberately delaying the restart of play.

Bosnia’s Sead Kolasinac became the first player at the World Cup to be penalised under the new rules after taking too long with a throw-in against hosts Canada on Friday.

The referee punished Kolasinac by blowing his whistle and awarding a throw-in to Canada instead.

But has Robertson already found a cheeky loophole?

The 32-year-old told his teammates where to be before eventually picking the ball up and throwing it moments later.

The sequence took longer than 10 seconds, but Robertson avoided punishment. Watch the clip below:

“Arteta taking notes,” one fan replied on X (Twitter), while another said:

​​​​​​​“Three days the time-wasting rule took… three days.”

A third fan tweeted: “Sneaky one that Robbo – but I love it!”

You scored

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A fourth added: “This is the kind of nous needed at Tottenham.”

A fifth supporter concluded: “Sums up modern football, a law brought in to make the game more entertaining is immediately neutralised by teams.”

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