Sports
Tottenham Contact Xabi Alonso Amid Thomas Frank Sack Decision
Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Xabi Alonso’s representatives about replacing Thomas Frank if they decide to sack the beleaguered manager, according to reports.
It had looked like Frank had eased the pressure on his shoulders in midweek by guiding Spurs to a morale-boosting and hugely deserved win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.
But much like last season, it was back down to earth with a bump domestically as they could only draw 2-2 with lowly Burnley – needing a 90th-minute Cristian Romero header to secure even a point.
Spurs Edge Closer To Relegation Zone
It was a better performance than the one they turned in against West Ham last week, with 18 shots, of which 11 were on target, but the result was a serious setback, particularly with the Hammers having won earlier in the day and closing the gap between Spurs and the dreaded relegation zone to just eight points.
Frank appears to have the backing of the board of directors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but internal talks were held regarding his position as head coach last week and a run of tough-looking fixtures against Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle and Arsenal could determine Frank’s fate after the Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.
Plenty of names have been linked with the job in N17 should Spurs pull the trigger, with Oliver Glasner heavily linked last week following his outburst at the Crystal Palace owners.
Summer Could Be Perfect Time For Tottenham Change
Glasner is expected to remain in situ in south London until the end of the season, when his contract expires, and there are a number of other options who become available in the summer too – namely Andoni Iraola and Mauricio Pochettino.
There are a few names who are available right now, with Xabi Alonso and Xavi chief among them. Neither have any Premier League managerial experience, but they are big names that would satisfy the disgruntled Tottenham fanbase.
And Spurs have contacted Alonso about taking the job, according to Tottenham insider Paul O’Keefe.
Responding to a tweet that claimed he had reported Spurs had made contact with Xabi Alonso, O’Keefe said: “They sounded out intermediaries of Alonso yep. Not a particularly positive response.”
Xabi Alonso Will Have A Number Of Job Offers
Alonso is out of a job after being sacked by Real Madrid and is now assessing his options. The former Liverpool midfielder does not want to rush into a decision with a number of other roles available now or in the summer.
Liverpool may be keen to bring their former player in, given the pressure on Arne Slot’s shoulders in what has been a disappointing season for the Reds. Liverpool are also understood to have contacted Alonso to feel him out on the subject of replacing Slot at the helm.
The early stages of the 2026 World Cup have delivered plenty of exciting moments on the pitch. The first two games of the tournament set the tone, with the three red cards in Mexico’s opening day win over South Africa, followed by South Korea’s impressive 2-1 comeback in an action-packed display against Czechia.
Those results mean Mexico and South Korea sit at the top of Group A, with the host nation in first on goal difference, while the Czechs and South Africa sit third and fourth respectively (also divided by goal difference). Unfortunately, a few incidents have taken away some of the joy from the action so far.
One issue is the high number of empty seats, which were particularly apparent during South Korea’s win at the Estadio Akron (Guadalajara Stadium). Although FIFA insisted it was actually a sell-out match, pictures of the event told a very different story. More seriously, however, one fan appeared to make a racist gesture during the game.
Yoon Su-jin, who has nearly 9 million combined followers on TikTok and YouTube, was filming herself celebrating South Korea’s opening World Cup 2-1 victory against Czechia when she also caught a number of Mexican fans on camera behind her. At first, the clip seemed to be good nature, but one man then appeared to make a racist gesture, as he pulled his fingers to slant his eyes.
A stunned Yoon, who goes by Incocat_t, stared at her camera, evidently upset as she later asked:
“I came all the way to Mexico for the World Cup, but … am I being too sensitive?”
While also then posting: “POV: You travelled across the world for the World Cup… and experienced racism.”
The man has now been identified as a local Mexican trade group leader, and action has been taken against him.
Statement Made as Mexican Trade Group Leader To Be Fired
In an update from the New York Post, the man in question is the College of Topographic and Geomatic Engineers of Jalisco President Ulises Bernal. Their report claims he will be removed from office after the clip went viral, drawing strong criticism.
A spokesperson for the government trade association, which trains and licenses engineers, told The New York Post:
“We are deeply saddened by what is happening regarding this incident.”
When asked if Bernal would face any punishment, they said “the Honor and Justice Committee is meeting this same day” and that Bernal would be “removed from office.”
The incident has sparked a strong response online, with many Mexican fans apologising for the racist behaviour.
Thierry Henry has issued a statement after inadvertently offending one nation competing at the 2026 World Cup.
The legendary French forward is working on the showpiece international tournament for US-broadcaster FOX Sports and met popular YouTuber IShowSpeed during the United States’ opening World Cup match against Paraguay on Friday.
A clip of Speed having his microphone taken away from him by Henry’s FOX Sports colleague and fellow football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic subsequently went viral on social media, but it was another clip that went down badly with the people of Nigeria.
What Thierry Henry Said About Nigeria Shorts
Zlatan and Henry both noticed Speed was wearing a pair of Nigeria shorts with his US Men’s National Team jersey.
“I love Nigeria but not today,” Henry said. “Today is US for you.”
Speed replied: “What’s wrong with Nigeria?”
Henry said: “Nigeria is great,” shortly before Paraguay scored against the USA. “You see?” Henry said. “You bring bad luck. That’s you bringing bad luck.” Watch the clip below:
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Thierry Henry Responds to Criticism
After receiving some criticism from disappointed Nigeria fans, Henry released a statement via Instagram, explaining his comments.
“Hello my people, this is Thierry,” the Arsenal hero said. “What a game we had yesterday. I needed to clarify something because I don’t think people understand when a joke is a joke.
“IShowSpeed yesterday had the shorts of Nigeria and the top of the US. I just set to him ‘it’s bad luck to break the set. It could have been the shorts of France, Italy or Spain, I would have said the same thing.”
He added: “I was just having a little joke with him, saying that it will be bad luck. Not that Nigeria is bad luck, but to break the set because you go as a set and I love Nigeria.
“And by the way, I do. I have mad respect for Nigeria and the people there. A lot of Arsenal fans out there, so don’t misunderstand stuff, please. Nigeria is never bad luck, I was just saying breaking the set is bad luck with any other shorts. Enjoy your day.” Watch Henry’s statement below:
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Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals after losing on penalties to DR Congo in November.
Despite boasting a handful of household names in their current squad, including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Alex Iwobi, Nigeria were unable to book their place at this summer’s tournament after also missing the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
Meanwhile, the United States began their 2026 World Cup campaign with an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles.
Liverpool have held meetings to sign ‘one of the best talents around’ ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Reds managed to qualify for the Champions League during the 2025-2026 season, meaning they should be shopping in the same market heading into the summer.
Liverpool looked as though they’d miss out on qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition, but they managed to get over the line despite a disappointing season.
Arne Slot was relieved of his duties after their struggles, with Andoni Iraola brought to the club to replace him as manager.
After solving the managerial situation, attention has quickly turned to improving Liverpool’s squad during the market.
Liverpool Overtake Man Utd in Race to Sign ‘Future Ballon d’Or Contender’
Liverpool are eyeing winger options in the transfer window, with several options being linked with a move this summer.
Liverpool Hold Talks for Young Talent
According to Italian journalist Romano, Liverpool have held meetings with the agents of Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi ahead of the summer transfer window.
The French club are well aware that some top sides around Europe will be coming for Bouaddi, with clubs starting conversations before the start of the World Cup.
“Lille knows very well that top clubs will be coming for Bouaddi, because even before the World Cup, some of the biggest clubs in the world started some conversations with his agents. I can tell you that between January and now, for sure, he’s been approached by Paris Saint-Germain. Paris Saint-Germain love Bouaddi. At the moment, they are not so busy with midfielders on the market, so that’s a point. But Paris Saint-Germain absolutely love Bouaddi, and they’ve been tracking him for a long time. Then we have to mention also that English clubs started having conversations for Bouaddi. For example, there were direct contacts with Arsenal and direct contacts also with Liverpool, so both clubs had meetings with the agents of the player, but now shining at the World Cup, one of the best talents around in midfield.”
So it appears Liverpool are likely to face plenty of competition if they do make a move for Bouaddi, especially after his display at the World Cup.
Big clubs will have already been tracking the 18-year-old, but the game against Brazil has only boosted his profile.
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England World Cup Quiz
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Bouaddi Produces Special Brazil Display
It was a phenomenal display from Bouaddi against Brazil. Dominating the middle of the park despite being just 18 years old, the Morocco midfielder completed 60 of his 66 passes, with nine ground duels, while making six recoveries.
The Lille star looked like an established, experienced midfielder rather than an 18-year-old competing at his first World Cup.
Bouaddi was up against the likes of Lucas Paquetá, Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro, but he looked far from out of place.
If Bouaddi can keep up this level of performance throughout the tournament, he is going to be one of the hottest properties in the Summer transfer window.
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