Sports
De Zerbi Promotes Tottenham Wonderkid Melia in Training Amid Injury Crisis
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has promoted Mason Melia to first-team training as the club’s injury crisis worsens, according to Football London correspondent Alasdair Gold.
Tottenham may have picked up their first Premier League win of 2026 last time out against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but their injury situation off the pitch has been dire since the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian lost Cristian Romero for the rest of the season during his first game in charge against Sunderland, with Mohammed Kudus also likely to be out until the 2026-27 campaign.
Spurs remain two points from safety after their win at Molineux as West Ham United were also victorious against Everton on Saturday, but the win came at a big cost as they suffered a double injury blow against Rob Edwards’ side.
Firstly, Xavi Simons ruptured his ACL and faces months on the sidelines, while the club fear that Dominic Solanke could be out for the remainder of the season after suffering a grade two hamstring pull in the west Midlands.
The timeline for a return of that injury could be anything between 3-8 weeks, with 25 days until the Premier League campaign draws to a close.
Gold: Tottenham Call-Up Melia to First-Team Training
According to Gold, January signing Mason Melia has been training with Tottenham’s first team this week following their injury crisis in attack.
The 18-year-old arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January in a £1.6m move from St Patrick’s Athletic, with the striker considered to be one of the best young talents in Irish football.
The teenager arrived with a back injury and then suffered a chest infection that kept him on the sidelines, with the forward only making his debut for the U21s earlier this month.
Melia has now made four appearances for the U21s, and has been promoted to first-team training this week having also participated earlier this month.
Melia Can Add to Tottenham’s Attack
Melia may not turn 19 years of age until September, but he is really experienced given his tender years and has even been described as the ‘Irish Harry Kane’ by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig previously.
The forward has 98 senior appearances to his name, including in the Europa League for St Patrick’s Athletic, with 25 goals and eight assists to his name.
With Simons and Solanke joining the injury list, Tottenham fans will be relieved that injury rumours surrounding Randal Kolo Muani have been dismissed, with a potential reliance on the Frenchman, Mathys Tel and Richarlison in the coming weeks as Spurs bid to avoid the drop.
Gold adds that Melia could be battling fellow January addition James Wilson, who joined from Hearts, for a spot on the substitutes’ bench in the remaining four Premier League games.
Sports
Tottenham Targeting 37-Year-Old Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka
Tottenham are more active than any other club in the transfer market at the moment, and they are now pushing to land a 37-year-old in a surprise move.
It’s been a busy summer transfer window for the North London club already, with Jan-Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson all signing on the dotted line.
They certainly won’t be the only players making their way to Tottenham this summer, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side working on a number of deals.
Tottenham need reinforcements after a disappointing couple of seasons, which have seen them finish 17th in the Premier League twice in a row.
Spurs fans may have been expecting this summer to be difficult in terms of incomings due to the lack of European football, but it hasn’t hampered them so far.
De Zerbi Pushing Tottenham to Agree Shock Deal to Sign £315,000-a-Week Star
The Italian wants Tottenham to make another ambitious move in the summer transfer window
Tottenham Eyeing 37-Year-Old Star
According to insider Paul O’Keefe, Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is a leading contender to join Tottenham in the summer transfer window as they look to bring in a backup goalkeeper.
Dubravka recently suffered relegation with Burnley, meaning he’s set to play Championship football unless he makes a move this summer.
Tottenham are looking to bring in a new number two, with Guglielmo Vicario heavily linked with a departure.
Antonin Kinsky could be their number one option, with Dubravka brought in as the back-up goalkeeper.
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Tonali Appears to be Tottenham’s Priority
Tottenham’s priority for the summer transfer window at the moment does appear to be Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.
Fabrizio Romano has recently reported that Spurs remain in talks with the Magpies over an attempt to secure his signature, despite seeing a £75m bid rejected.
The Magpies are looking for a total package in the region of £100 million, which could be £85 million with £15 million in add-ons.
Tottenham appear insistent on getting their man after submitting an opening offer, while Newcastle are playing hardball with their valuation.
He appears to be Tottenham’s priority at the moment, but they are certainly working on other deals in tandem.
Sports
Viral World Cup Trend Explained
Every now and then, a fan trend from the World Cup or European Championship goes viral, spreading further than the stadiums it started in, and Norway’s “Viking Row” is one of the best recent examples.
It’s the sort of celebration that sums up exactly why major tournaments tend to produce these moments in the first place; simple enough for anyone to join in with, yet tied closely enough to a country’s identity that it ends up meaning far more than the average football song.
Performed by the country’s supporters, it made its way onto escalators, into city squares, and even inside Norway’s own parliament during the 2026 World Cup, turning a routine match day tradition into a repetitively viral moment.
What is the ‘Viking Row’ in Soccer?
The Viking Row is a synchronised chant and movement performed by groups of fans, designed to mimic the action of rowing a longship.
It starts with supporters sitting down together, before building into a rhythmic chant of the word “ro,” which simply translates to “row.”
As the chant builds, fans begin moving their arms back and forth in unison, exactly as if they were pulling on oars.
The motion gradually speeds up, before the whole group rises together at the climax, arms thrown up, roaring in celebration. It can take fans a little while to get fully in sync, but once it clicks, it’s an incredible sight.
It’s not limited to the stands either. Fans have been known to take the routine outside the stadium, performing it on moving escalators, in train stations, and on city streets.
Origin of the ‘Viking Row’ Trend
The tradition is taken from Norway’s seafaring history, with the rowing motion inspired by the longships that once carried Viking warriors and explorers across the seas centuries ago. It ties their support of the national side directly back to a piece of national heritage Norwegians have long taken pride in.
It’s also not the first time a national fanbase has turned a slice of cultural history into a football chant. Iceland did something similar with their famous “Viking Clap” at Euro 2016. A slow, building clap performed above the head became a viral sensation. Dutch fans also have an equally viral trend. Their simple dance, from left to right to the song Snollebollekes, have seen crowds of more than 25,000 participate in the street. The Viking Row follows a similar idea, giving supporters something simple and easy to join in with.
Brazil & Man Utd star Matheus Cunha’s ‘Samba Surfer’ Celebration Explained
It’s a rather unique celebration to say the least.
Reaction to the ‘Viking Row’ at World Cup 2026
The trend went well beyond football stadiums and areas close by. Norwegian politicians even paused proceedings to perform the row inside parliament itself, with the chamber’s speaker setting the rhythm before everyone pulled on their imaginary oars. Clips of the moment spread quickly online, with people amused to see politicians briefly swap debate for a bit of choreography.
Beyond the politicians and the impromptu street performances, the reaction online was just as telling. Clips of the celebration racked up millions of views across social media, with supporters of other countries admitting they wished their own fanbase had something similar. Pundits and former players also weighed in during broadcasts, often praising the tradition as one of the more original pieces of fan culture, rather than just another viral clip that fades within days.
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Sports
Brazil & Man Utd star Matheus Cunha’s ‘Samba Surfer’ Celebration Explained
Whenever Matheus Cunha finds the net, be that for Manchester United or Brazil, one thing is near enough guaranteed to happen: the surfing celebration.
The forward marks his goals by crouching low and riding an imaginary wave in front of the cameras. Coming out for the first time in 2025 when playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, it’s now a routine that has become one of the more recognisable celebrations in football, and has even made it as far as the World Cup.
Behind the playful gesture, though, is a story rooted in something much more personal than most fans probably realise, tying back to where Cunha grew up and how he switches off from the pressures of football.
What is Matheus Cunha’s Surfing Celebration?
The celebration follows a familiar pattern every time. Cunha drops to the ground as if diving onto a surfboard, paddles briefly with both arms, then pops up to his feet and rides an imaginary wave, exactly as a surfer would when catching one out at sea.
Watch: Matheus Cunha explains his surfing celebration:
What began as a fairly simple gesture of pretending to balance on a surfboard has turned into something closer to a full performance, even if it only lasts a handful of seconds. It’s become one of the most talked-about parts of his game, regularly clipped and shared across social media every time he finds the net.
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What is Matheus Cunha’s Surfing Celebration About?
Speaking about the celebration, Cunha made it clear that it isn’t just for show.
“Now I’m considered a surfer guy.”
He explained that the sport is a part of his life rather than a gimmick invented for the cameras.
He’s detailed where the love of surfing comes from, growing up in Joao Pessoa in northeastern Brazil before learning to ride waves in Baia Formosa, the hometown of his close friend Italo Ferreira, the 2019 World Surf League champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist.
“Surfing has become a big part of my life, a way to relax,” Cunha said, adding that he follows the sport almost as closely as football itself and considers Ferreira one of his best friends.
For anyone new to football and unfamiliar with the gesture, it’s essentially Cunha bringing a piece of home onto the pitch, using surfing as both an escape from the pressures of professional sport and a way to express his personality once the ball hits the net.
It also explains why this celebration carries far more weight for him than a standard goal celebration would, given how much time he actually spends on the sport away from football, to the point where he’s even sampled it in the cold waters of Bristol.
Does Matheus Cunha Have Other Celebrations?
The surfing routine isn’t the only trick up Cunha’s sleeve, even if it’s become the one most associated with him. He’s also been known to mix in more traditional celebrations, depending on the occasion, be them solo celebrations or with teammates.
Earlier in his time with the Red Devils, Cunha experimented with a handful of other gestures, like a point to the sky, kneeslides and kisses blown in the direction of adoring fans, before settling on the surfing routine as his go-to celebration, and his teammates have got in on the act too, with multiple United and Brazil players performing it with him.
It’s now reached the point where fans actively expect to see it whenever he scores, adding extra anticipation to his goals beyond just the strike itself, regardless of the competition or occasion.
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