Sports
Rio Ferdinand Calls Out Gabby Agbonlahor Over Phil Foden
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has slammed Gabby Agbonlahor over a brutal attack he launched on an “incredibly bad” England player on Thursday afternoon. While FA Cup action looms this Easter weekend, the dust has yet to fully settle on what was a largely forgettable international break for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Under the German manager’s previously spotless supervision, the Three Lions began their final preparations for the 2026 World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Uruguay, where an experimental side delivered an error-filled audition in a bid to stake a claim for the final 26-man squad set to be named in June. Just days later, England then lost their first-ever home game against an Asian side, falling to a 1-0 defeat to Japan.
How England, Scotland & Wales Will Do at Tournaments up Until 2050, According to AI
The next 24 years are expected to be a rollercoaster for the three British nations.
In the wake of those poor performances, Agbonlahor unleashed a scathing critique of one particular player, labelling him as looking like a “training ground player.” Ferdinand has now hit back at those comments during an exchange on social media, as the punditry duo clashed over the status of one of Tuchel’s highest-rated players.
Rio Ferdinand Hits Back After Agbonlahor’s Brutal Critique of Phil Foden
Agbonlahor pulled no punches in his assessment of Phil Foden, who failed to inspire his teammates in two auditions this week as he aimed to prove he can fit into a squad already boasting several other star players. During a heated TalkSPORT segment, the former Aston Villa forward said:
“His fall for Manchester City has been incredibly bad. He came on in the 90th minute of the cup final against Arsenal, got zero minutes in both games against Real Madrid, and in his last 11 games, he’s only played 183 minutes of 990 available.
“Zero goals this year (we’re already in April), and for his country, he’s not performed. He’s only got four goals in 49 England caps. He should be in his peak now at 25. He’s never done it in an England shirt.”
He concluded his brutal critique by claiming that Thomas Tuchel gave Foden the nod in the latest squad selection because he “likes Foden’s career”, that he never deserved a call-up in the first place, and that he currently looks like a “training ground” player. In response, Ferdinand retweeted the video with a few words of his own (see the full post below):
“Gabby, he’s won six Premier League titles at 25 years old, [and] got 10 goals and assists in the Premier League this season (same as Saka, Watkins).”
The retired United legend’s comments were met with a mixed bag of reactions from onlookers, with some siding with Agbonlahor following Foden’s futile week, while others pointed to his potential and importance when at his best.
Tuchel has Big Decisions to make about Foden
There are still plenty of questions surrounding Phil Foden’s England future. Out of all the big-name stars, he now seems the most likely to drop out of the squad entirely after a second lethargic performance in a row. But it may not be entirely his fault, especially after Thomas Tuchel appeared to go back on his word about prioritising impact over reputation, instead shoehorning his star player into a role he never plays for Manchester City.
Labelled a “gimmick” by some online, many were surprised to see Foden used as a centre-forward, particularly after he had settled into a deeper midfield role under Pep Guardiola this season. It’s those performances in midfield that earned him a recall to the England squad, but Tuchel’s latest experiment could, ironically, be the reason he loses his place on the plane.
What’s more, just because Foden is typically used in midfield doesn’t mean others should lose their place. Morgan Rogers deserves to remain in an attacking midfield role rather than being pushed out wide, while Jude Bellingham is the natural first-choice option there when the Real Madrid star is fully fit. Previous “golden generations” struggled for similar reasons, with managers trying to fit too many high-profile names into the same lineup.
Sports
Iraola Approves Liverpool Signing Diomande After Munoz
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has given the green light for the club’s next signing after Victor Munoz and a deal is accelerating, according to TEAMtalk.
Liverpool chiefs have been working on bringing in new signings after appointing Iraola as Arne Slot’s replacement at the start of the month, and they agreed a deal ‘out of nowhere’ on Wednesday night when Fabrizio Romano announced that they had hijacked Newcastle United’s move to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna.
The Reds have activated the player’s €40m release clause and he is set to move to Anfield on a six-year contract after completing a medical in the United States, where he is currently representing Spain at the 2026 World Cup.
The left-sided winger will provide competition for Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha on that side, with Hugo Ekitike set to be sidelined until 2027 through injury.
Liverpool still need to find a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah on the opposite flank too, with the Egyptian leaving Merseyside after nine years this summer.
The Reds are looking at other positions too, including midfield, where Curtis Jones is expected to leave and doubts remain over the future of Alexis Mac Allister.
Iraola ‘Says Yes’ to Yan Diomande Deal
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are continuing their push to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, and Iraola is a driving force behind the move.
The report says that the Spaniard is now actively pushing club chiefs to complete a deal for the Ivory Coast sensation.
After a stunning breakthrough season at Leipzig, where he scored 13 goals and registered a further 10 assists, the 19-year-old announced himself on the world stage in sensational fashion as he was named as man of the match in his nation’s opening World Cup group game.
Diomande displayed his pace, trickery and dynamism, and the latter in particular is a trait that Iraola really admires in him.
Liverpool have been in constructive dialogue with Leipzig over a summer move, as talks continue to accelerate.
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England World Cup Quiz
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Liverpool Face Diomande Asking Price Hurdle
While GIVEMESPORT sources are growing in confidence that Diomande wants to join Liverpool with progress made on the player side of negotiations, the major hurdle remaining is Leipzig’s asking price.
TEAMtalk report that the Bundesliga outfit have set a minimum asking price of €130m (£112m) for the ‘sensational’ winger, which means that the Reds would need to pay more than £100m for a player for the third time in the space of 12 months.
The other complication is the fact that Paris Saint-Germain continue to show strong interest in the teenage wonderkid, as they consider adding to their own attacking options after defending their Champions League title.
PSG aren’t the only European giants in the race to sign Diomande though, with Real Madrid showing interest in recent weeks and being tipped to come calling for the player soon.
Liverpool’s fast deal to sign Munoz shows they aren’t messing about though, so don’t be surprised if they win the race to bring Diomande to Anfield.
Sports
Sean O’Malley’s 9-Word Comment to Donald Trump
Since the early days of his UFC career, Sean O’Malley has always been a captivating figure, known for his unique persona and flashy fighting style.
While the past year or two haven’t gone his way, O’Malley seems back to his best in 2026. In January, he picked up a win over Song Yadong, and at the White House, he finished Aiemann Zahabi.
It was the 31-year-old’s first finish since August 2023, when he first captured bantamweight gold at the expense of Aljamain Sterling. O’Malley seemed rejuvenated, and it wasn’t only the fan base that was in awe of the performance. President Donald Trump took time to chat with him after his electrifying salute TKO.
Sean O’Malley’s Impressive White House Showing
As fans have become accustomed to, O’Malley built on a strong first round. He’s a momentum fighter and someone who shows great patience when in the Octagon.
He was timing his shots perfectly all night, and eventually it led to the finish. Towards the end of the second round, Zahabi was applying plenty of pressure, but the chaos only played into O’Malley’s hands.
The American continued to pick his shots before putting Zahabi down with a strong left hand. Another one-two came soon after, which dropped the Canadian once again, leaving Jason Herzog only one decision: stop the fight.
What Sean O’Malley Said to Donald Trump
In the aftermath of the win, O’Malley said a few words to President Donald Trump, who was, of course, sat just metres away from the Octagon.
“I said, ‘Happy birthday. I knocked out a Canadian for you’.”
What Next For Sean O’Malley
After Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili back in December, O’Malley’s situation became even more intriguing. He now has a win over the current champion, which could build towards a highly anticipated rematch.
The first one in Abu Dhabi was an incredibly close fight, and ultimately changed O’Malley’s trajectory. Just a year prior, he was fighting Kris Moutinho and wasn’t in the top 10 of the rankings. Fast-forward a year, and he has beaten the former champion in a razor-thin decision. Perhaps, Yan will be looking to avenge that defeat and further cement his status as king of the bantamweights.
Outside of this, there is also Corey Sandhagen. Despite being in and around the top of the division for a while, the two are yet to meet in the Octagon. It was an idea floating around prior to the Zahabi announcement and would make for a fan-friendly match-up. Sandhagen fights Mario Bautista at UFC 329. Once that is done, maybe their timelines can finally cross over.
Sports
Why Harry Kane Wore Different Shirt to England Teammates vs Croatia
Harry Kane wore a different shirt to the rest of his teammates as England defeated Croatia at the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bayern Munich star, who is one of the contenders to win the Ballon d’Or following a tremendous season for his club, was named in the Three Lions’ starting lineup for their opening game of the tournament at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Kane hit the back of the net twice in the first half as the two sides went into the break level at 2-2. Kane was again influential in the second half as goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford gave Thomas Tuchel’s side a 4-2 victory.
The 32-year-old has now scored 10 goals for England at the World Cup, equalling Gary Lineker’s record.
Harry Kane Wears Different Shirt to England Teammates
Kane wore a special patch on his arm during the match against Croatia, and he will continue to don the patch for the remainder of the tournament.
In the 2018 World Cup, he netted six times as England finished fourth. That was enough for him to win the Golden Boot, awarded to the player that scored the most goals in the tournament.
To commemorate that achievement, he was allowed to wear a special golden patch on his sleeve. The patch, located just below the FIFA World Cup logo, is a golden boot with the year ‘2018’ on it.
Only players that have won the Golden Boot at previous World Cup tournaments are permitted to wear the patch.
That means only two other players in this year’s tournament are wearing the patch. They are Colombia’s James Rodriguez, who won the Golden Boot in 2014, and France star Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight goals in the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Kane, Rodriguez and Mbappe will continue to wear the sleeve patch for the remainder of the competition.
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England World Cup Quiz
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Harry Kane Gives Thoughts After Croatia Victory
Kane revealed Tuchel’s speech at half-time and praised his side for pulling off a great result. He said, per the Guardian:
“He [Tuchel] told us to take the shackles off, calm down and let’s go. He said what’s the worst that can happen? Show the world who we can be.
“We came out in the second half full gas and they couldn’t live with it, and that’s the level we have to set in every game. The way we controlled the game once we went ahead, we never really looked like we were in danger and then scored on the counterattack.
“We had a spell where we could have scored three or four. Credit to everyone: the first game of the tournament and a great result against a tough side.”
England and Kane return to action on Tuesday, June 23 when they take on Ghana in Boston. A victory will see the Three Lions qualify for the knockout rounds of the competition.
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