After defeating homeboy Arthur Fery in the Wimbledon semi-finals, many had questions about Alexander Zverev and his advancement into the final on Sunday, and who would be in attendance supporting him.

After attending the French Open final last month, many assumed that the German’s grandmother would be once again making an appearance in the crowd to support her grandson’s great achievements. Many have been left disappointed, though, with Zverev having to make do without his grandmother watching on this time around.

The No.2 seed put on a dominant display against the Englishman Fery, with the wildcard getting beaten in straight sets on Friday. Jannik Sinner’s win against Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, means that Zverev will be competing against the current Wimbledon champion and No.1 seed.

This isn’t the first time these two have played in a Grand Slam final against each other. In a similar set-up at the Australian Open in 2025, Sinner was once again aiming to defend his title and successfully went on to do so.

According to Zverev, one person who is possibly going to be attending Centre Court tomorrow is the German Chancellor, who no doubt will be rooting for his country’s representative.

Going into the match, the German is looking like the underdog with nine previous face-offs between these two resulting in a victory for Sinner, but with the feeling of now having a Grand Slam title to his name after Paris, there is nothing stopping the German from making it two titles.

Alexander Zverev’s Grandmother Banned From UK

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Zverev has said that, with the German Chancellor being present, he hopes that a few strings can be pulled that will result in his grandmother being able to attend the event. Unfortunately, due to not having a visa and being a Russian passport holder, it is not looking entirely promising that she will get to attend.

Zverev explained that once her 90 days were up, she could no longer be there to watch his Wimbledon performance and, with time being of the essence, getting a visa this late in the game does not seem likely.

With Russian citizens now facing longer background checks when applying for visas, the possibility of getting one will likely take several weeks rather than a couple of days.

Despite his grandmother not being in attendance, a win for Zverev would still be an incredible day for the German; back-to-back Grand Slams and winning what many would call the most prestigious one of them all. The match tomorrow will, we’re sure, have many, whether they are there in person or watching on the TV at home, on the edge of their seats.

Lionel Messi is almost unanimously viewed as the greatest footballer in history, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t had low points in his career.

While it’s harsh to suggest reaching a World Cup final is a failure, there were always doubts surrounding Messi’s ability to get his country over the line on the biggest stage. That was again the case in 2014, when his side were beaten by Germany in the final.

He’s obviously put those doubts to bed in recent years with two Copa America wins and a World Cup triumph. But 12 years ago, his perception in international football was completely different. Even Diego Maradona questioned Messi after the 2014 World Cup.

Diego Maradona: Lionel Messi Golden Ball ‘Unfair’

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Messi found the back of the net four times in the Brazil-hosted competition, but they were all scored in the group stage. That just played into the narrative that he hadn’t delivered in key moments for his country to that point. His quiet display in the final didn’t do much to help that.

However, many were left scratching their heads when a glum Messi, 27 at the time, stepped up to collect the Golden Ball award. The FIFA-awarded honour is given to the best player of the tournament, but few believed Messi fit that criteria that year.

Maradona publicly called out the decision, calling it a ‘marketing plan’ to give his compatriot the individual accolade. The iconic Argentine said:

Argentina manager at the time, Alejandro Sabella, didn’t agree with that assessment and defended Messi’s performances throughout the tournament.

“He deserves it because he played an extraordinary World Cup. He was a fundamental factor in the team making it to the final, along with everything done by his other teammates,” the Argentina boss stated.

Maradona Felt World Cup Star Was More Deserving

Maradona had managed Messi and Argentina at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But he went against his compatriot when naming his pick for the Golden Ball in 2014.

The other hot contenders were Germany’s Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Mats Hummels and Philipp Lahm, as well as Messi’s teammates Javier Mascherano and Angel Di Maria.

But Maradona believed James Rodriguez of Colombia was the standout player at the tournament. Winning the Golden Boot that year with six goals, Rodriguez earned a blockbuster move to Spanish giants Real Madrid off the back of his breakout performance on the world stage.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 11-07-26.

Arsenal are intent on adding a new midfielder to their ranks this summer, and recent reports suggest Bruno Guimaraes is at the top of Mikel Arteta’s wishlist.

The Gunners may have won the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years last season, but they aren’t prepared to sit still and rely on the same squad again next term. Instead, Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are ready to invest heavily in the transfer market to ensure they take advantage of this window to build a dynasty, as their primary rivals enter a period of transition.

Arteta is understood to be fond of Guimaraes and is pushing for a deal for the Newcastle United man to be completed. However, the Magpies are reportedly demanding around £90million for their talisman, and this could present a major stumbling block in the prospective deal.

Arsenal Shouldn’t Pay £90m for Bruno Guimaraes

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Newcastle sold Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for £100million earlier this summer, while Mateus Fernandes also joined the Lilywhites for an astronomical fee, and Manchester City paid £116million for Elliot Anderson. This is the going rate for midfielders, and thus, it’s no surprise that Newcastle want upwards of £90million for their captain.

That said, there is a key difference with Guimaraes which Arsenal simply must consider before splashing this outlandish fee on him. While the aforementioned trio of midfielders are all 26 and under, the Brazilian will turn 29 in November.

Guimaraes is arguably the most talented of the lot, but his age profile should prompt the Gunners to carefully consider how much they’re willing to spend to bring him to North London.

When spending money on a player, how many years of service you’re likely to get from the player in question, in their prime, ought to influence how big you’re willing to go. Arsenal may get two or three seasons of Guimaraes’ best level, but beyond that there are question marks.

The fee for Fernandes may seem steep right now, but the Portuguese is 21, and Spurs could have him at his best for nine seasons. Essentially, given the deal came to £85million in total, the Lilywhites may end up paying around £9million per season for the former West Ham United man at his best.

If Arsenal get three great seasons before Guimaraes starts to decline, then their cost per season will equate to £30million. This outlay could also, in turn, prevent them from doing another piece of business they need to get done.

Of course, if Arsenal win another Premier League title or a Champions League during these three years, and Guimaraes plays a significant role in this triumph, the £90million outlay could be justified. However, it’s certainly food for thought for Arteta and Berta.

A fee in the region of £65million to £70million would feel much more comfortable.

Arsenal Should Sign Ayyoub Bouaddi Instead

Burt Granofsky/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA

If Newcastle remain stubborn with their £90million valuation of Guimaraes, then Arsenal should pivot to an alternative. The Gunners have been linked with a host of younger midfielders, including the likes of Alex Scott and Manu Kone, but they should ultimately turn towards Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Arsenal have reportedly submitted a £52million offer for Bouaddi, though Lille are understood to be wanting more than £60million for him. His price tag may even have gone up after his World Cup performances and the inflated value of transfers elsewhere. The 18-year-old has made waves in Ligue 1 over the last two seasons and is ready for a step-up to a more challenging league, even at his tender age.

While he may not be ready to make an immediate impact in the Premier League, he can develop at Arsenal over the next few years, with a view to him succeeding someone like Declan Rice in the future. He has superstar potential, with his ability to carry the ball aggressively through the lines and disrupt opposition attacks remarkably impressive given how young he is.

Some may argue that this move would leave Arsenal short on ready-made midfielders to compete on four fronts next season. However, the Gunners delivered a Premier League title last season with their existing cohort in this department, with the likes of Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly more than capable of holding down the fort across four competitions.

In fact, the stronger argument is that Arsenal don’t need a win-now signing in this position, and should instead be looking at their succession plans for the likes of Rice, Zubimendi and Merino. In three years, all three of these players could be past their best, and signing Guimaraes would do little to solve this issue.

However, Bouaddi, described by Morroco teammate Chemsdine Talbi as a “top-level player”, alongside Lewis-Skelly would set up Arsenal’s double pivot for years to come.