Sports
De Zerbi Must Axe Conor Gallagher to Save Tottenham From Relegation
Tottenham Hotspur were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Leeds United on Monday night, leaving them two points above the relegation zone with two games remaining.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side took the lead in the second half thanks to Mathys Tel’s curling strike from the edge of the penalty area, before the Frenchman conceded a penalty with a high challenge on Ethan Ampadu, which Dominic Calvert-Lewin coolly converted to earn a share of the points.
But while the team saw goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky make two stunning saves during the game, fans will see this as two points dropped rather than a point gained, and one player in particular continues to get away with poor performances on the pitch.
Conor Gallagher a Master of Looking Busy
De Zerbi named a solid looking side, with a midfield three that included Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur ahead of Conor Gallagher. But, as expected, that team severely lacked any creativity and struggled to build from the back, which allowed Leeds to get into their shape quicker and stifle them.
Palhinha and Bentancur have regularly done their jobs well, but Gallagher has really struggled ever since joining in January, and this was another game in which he mastered the act of looking busy, but not actually doing much.
According to Sofascore, Gallagher failed to make a single key pass in the game and didn’t have a shot on target despite playing the entire game. He also completed 38 of 48 passes in the game, but 23 of them were in his own half, and he only completed 15 of 23 attempts in the opposition half.
Defensively, he won two out of three tackles, but he didn’t make a single clearance, interception, or block, and made three fouls. He also won four of his seven duels on the ground, with just three defensive contributions. Overall, it was a nothing performance with a lot of running and pointing.
De Zerbi Must Use Better Options
Gallagher has experience at the highest level, but it’s quite clear that he isn’t performing to the level expected of him when the club paid £35m and gave him £200,000-a-week earlier this year.
De Zerbi isn’t wrong for trying with him, but at this stage, where survival is in their own hands with wins, he is wrong for persisting with him. James Maddison made his long-awaited return as a substitute against Leeds as a number ten, while Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray both started on the bench.
All three are better options than Gallagher, and if the Italian wants to keep the team in the Premier League, then the best way for him to do that is to pick a team that doesn’t have Gallagher to give them the best chance of success.
De Zerbi Doesn’t Trust Him: Tottenham Star Unlikely to Start Again This Season
The Italian manager has favoured other players over him in recent Premier League matches
Sports
Tottenham Set To Rekindle Transfer Interest In £60m Man City Ace
Tottenham are set to rekindle their interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, GIVEMESPORT understands.
Spurs made a series of offers for the Brazilian last summer, with the highest bid exceeding £60million. Savinho wanted to join, but GMS understands Manchester City board member Ferran Soriano blocked the move.
City felt selling Savinho was a mistake, believing his high-ceiling was just cause to keep him at the club. The Brazilian went on to make 24 Premier League appearances last season, scoring just once.
Savinho will miss the World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico
The 22-year-old Savinho failed to make Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup and will now consider his Manchester City future. Key to any decision will be incoming new manager Enzo Maresca, and whether Savinho feels he will get enough game time at the Etihad Stadium.
Spurs’ bid last summer was viewed as competitive, but Manchester City decided not to sell at any price.
There has been no new bid for Savinho yet, but that could change this month as Spurs want to move quickly to back Roberto De Zerbi in the transfer market.
Agreements in principle are already in place with defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi to sign on free transfers from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively. Spurs want to move quickly to formalise both deals to avoid any surprises.
Spurs have also seen a bid rejected by Brighton for centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. Brighton are thought to be holding out for a fee in the region of £70million for the defender who has just one year left on his contract.
Two midfielders Tottenham are interested in signing
And a new central midfielder is on the cards too. Joao Palhinha, who spent the season on loan at Spurs from Bayern Munich, is open to staying, and clarity on his future is expected soon. De Zerbi has already admitted that he would “100%” like to sign the Portuguese permanently.
Spurs are also one of the clubs to have considered Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, but Everton are considered frontrunners for his signature.
And there is an appreciation for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, who is also on Manchester United’s list of options to sign this summer. Bournemouth intend to try and ward off suitors for him by offering Scott a new deal as they hope to end summer speculation over his future.
Why Tottenham Should Not Make Second Bid For ‘Incredible’ £70m Star De Zerbi Loves…Yet
Spurs have tabled a bid to sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton
Sports
20 Players With Most MOTM Awards in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues [2025-26]
Which footballer bagged the most Man of the Match awards in Europe’s top five leagues during the 2025-26 campaign?
There have been a handful of standout players in England’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga, France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A since August.
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has dominated in the Bundesliga, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Arsenal’s Declan Rice have both been excellent in the Premier League, while Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal continues to amaze each week in La Liga.
WhoScored keep a tally of Man of the Match (MotM) awards in their statistics section, and 20 players in Europe’s top five leagues won six or more awards between August and May. Surprisingly, there are no Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain players in the top 20.
Six Man of the Match Awards
Eight players ended the season with six MotM awards including Brentford’s Igor Thiago, who scored 22 Premier League goals and subsequently earned a call-up to Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi went one better by scoring an impressive 23 goals in La Liga, while Stuttgart’s Denis Undav netted 19 goals in the Bundesliga.
Burkina Faso international Herve Koffi, who spent the season on loan at Angers from Lens, is the only goalkeeper in the top 20, along with Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi.
Another interesting name here is the Stevenage-born Keinan Davis, who scored 10 league goals for Italian outfit Udinese.
|
Six MOTM Awards (Top 5 leagues, 2025-26) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Goals |
Assists |
Rating |
|
|
13. |
Denis Undav |
Stuttgart |
19 |
6 |
7.18 |
|
14. |
Herve Koffi |
Angers |
0 |
0 |
7.14 |
|
15. |
Igor Thiago |
Brentford |
22 |
1 |
7.09 |
|
16. |
Vedat Muriqi |
Mallorca |
23 |
1 |
7.09 |
|
17. |
Bazoumana Toure |
Hoffenheim |
5 |
9 |
7.04 |
|
18. |
Carlos Romero |
Espanyol |
6 |
3 |
6.99 |
|
19. |
Marco Carnesecchi |
Atalanta |
0 |
0 |
6.94 |
|
20. |
Keinan Davis |
Udinese |
10 |
4 |
6.89 |
Seven Man of the Match Awards
Bruno Fernandes won the 2025-26 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award after breaking the Premier League record for most assists (21) in a season. The Portuguese maestro has been worth his weight in gold for the Red Devils.
Another player in contention for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award is Bayern Munich’s world-class winger Michael Olise, who scored 15 goals and registered 19 assists in the Bundesliga this term.
A more surprising name with seven MotM awards to his name is the former Arsenal player Nicolas Pepe who, aged 31, is currently shining with Villarreal in Spain.
|
Seven MOTM Awards (Top 5 leagues, 2025-26) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Goals |
Assists |
Rating |
|
|
8. |
Michael Olise |
Bayern Munich |
15 |
19 |
7.84 |
|
9. |
Bruno Fernandes |
Man Utd |
9 |
21 |
7.49 |
|
10. |
Luka Vuskovic |
Hamburg |
6 |
0 |
7.33 |
|
11. |
Nicolas Pepe |
Villarreal |
8 |
8 |
7.12 |
|
12. |
Toni Martinez |
Alaves |
14 |
3 |
7.09 |
Eight Man of the Match Awards
Two players won eight MotM awards this season: Real Madrid’s world-class forward Kylian Mbappe and RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande, who will be worth keeping a close eye on during the 2026 World Cup.
Mbappe, meanwhile, is the world’s best footballer, in the eyes of many. While Real Madrid ended the season without a major trophy, the French superstar still managed to finish the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 25 goals.
|
Eight MOTM Awards (Top 5 leagues, 2025-26) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Goals |
Assists |
Rating |
|
|
6. |
Kylian Mbappe |
Real Madrid |
25 |
5 |
7.70 |
|
7. |
Yan Diomande |
RB Leipzig |
12 |
8 |
7.47 |
11 Man of the Match Awards
Four players picked up 11 Man of the Match awards, including Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (27 Premier League goals) and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (36 Bundesliga goals).
Inter’s Federico Dimarco finished on the same number of MotM awards after scoring seven goals and registering a further 17 assists in Serie A.
And so did Como’s Nico Paz (12 goals, six assists), who has been named in Argentina’s 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup.
|
11 MOTM Awards (Top 5 leagues, 2025-26) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Goals |
Assists |
Rating |
|
|
2. |
Harry Kane |
Bayern Munich |
36 |
5 |
8.14 |
|
3. |
Nico Paz |
Como |
12 |
6 |
7.56 |
|
4. |
Erling Haaland |
Man City |
27 |
8 |
7.53 |
|
5. |
Federico Dimarco |
Inter |
7 |
17 |
7.48 |
12 Man of the Match Awards
But sitting on top of the list with an incredible 12 MotM awards is the brilliant Lamine Yamal. Barcelona’s world-class winger is still only 18 years old but has make senior football look simple since breaking through a couple of years ago.
The Spain international suffered an injury before the end of the season but still ended up with 16 goals and 11 assists as Barca secured their second La Liga title. It’s scary to think how good he might be in a few years’ time.
|
12 MOTM Awards (Top 5 leagues, 2025-26) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Club |
Goals |
Assists |
Rating |
|
|
1. |
Lamine Yamal |
Barcelona |
16 |
11 |
8.23 |
All eyes will be on Lamine Yamal and co. when the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11.
Sports
World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremonies: Time, Artists & Guide
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here, and the tournament is set to kick off in truly spectacular fashion, not with one opening ceremony, but three.
For the first time in the competition’s history, the host nations will each stage their own individual celebrations before the action gets underway. Mexico, Canada, and the United States are co-hosting the tournament, and all three countries will put their own cultural stamp on proceedings with star-studded, nation-defining events in some of the biggest stadiums ever seen at a World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has set the tone for what fans can expect:
“These ceremonies will bring together music, culture and football in a way that reflects both the individuality of each nation and the unity that defines this tournament. It is a powerful way to begin a truly global celebration.”
As reported by Time, connecting all three events will be a shared creative thread that reimagines the iconic World Cup trophy through each host nation’s cultural lens. A neat concept that ties the celebrations together while allowing each country to express its own identity.
With 48 nations competing across 104 matches, the World Cup is already the biggest sporting event on the planet. Factor in three opening ceremonies, and the entertainment value goes off the charts. Here’s everything you need to know about each one.
Mexico Opening Ceremony
|
Date: |
June 11, 2026 |
|---|---|
|
Time: |
1pm local (8pm BST) |
|
Venue: |
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
|
Notable Acts: |
Mana, Alejandro Fernandez, J Balvin |
The tournament officially begins in Mexico City on the 11th of June, with the first opening ceremony and match, as Mexico take on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has promised a “historic” and “exceptional” event.
The ceremony is expected to be a full-throated celebration of Latin American culture, with FIFA describing the concept as being brought to life through the art of “papel picado,” the traditional Mexican craft of cutting intricate designs from tissue paper.
The performers more than live up to that billing. Rock legends Mana, one of the best-selling Latin music acts of all time, will take to the stage and has called the tournament the “event of the century” for Mexicans. “Music has the power to bring us all together, no matter where we’re from, and we’re proud to be a part of that celebration,” the band said when confirming their involvement.
Ranchera icon Alejandro Fernandez also features, describing it as a “great honour” to represent “Mexican music to the world.” Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin, who features on Coca-Cola’s official 2026 World Cup anthem “JUMP,” adds further star power, as does an eclectic supporting cast including Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, and South African singer Tyla.
Canada Opening Ceremony
|
Date: |
June 12, 2026 |
|---|---|
|
Time: |
3pm local (8pm BST) |
|
Venue: |
BMO Stadium, Toronto |
|
Notable Acts: |
Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, Jessie Reyez, Elyanna |
Canada has never hosted the World Cup, until now, and they’ll take centre stage for the second opening ceremony on the 12th of June, with Toronto Stadium playing host to a lineup that combines homegrown heroes with global names.
For Canada’s celebration, the World Cup trophy will be reimagined “as a mosaic, symbolising the people, cultures and communities that define the country,” according to FIFA, an apt metaphor for one of the world’s most diverse nations. Infantino has already teased the Toronto event as “a powerful reflection of Canada’s identity,” and Prime Minister Mark Carney has made clear that the country “is ready to welcome the world.”
Leading the musical charge is none other than Michael Buble, the Vancouver-born singer who said he “can’t wait to celebrate with fans from around the world.” Toronto-born Jessie Reyez will also perform, joining Palestinian singer Elyanna. The pair have collaborated on “Illuminate,” a track featured on the official World Cup album.
Nora Fatehi, who performed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, returns to the international stage. Rounding out the Canadian contingent are beloved names Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, and William Prince, while Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy and French singer-songwriter Vegedream add further international flavour.
United States Opening Ceremony
|
Date: |
June 12, 2026 |
|---|---|
|
Time: |
6pm local (2am BST, June 13) |
|
Venue: |
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
|
Notable Acts: |
Katy Perry, LISA, Anitta, Future, Tyla |
The United States closes out the opening ceremony trio in style, with SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams, hosting the event just six hours after Canada’s.
California’s own Katy Perry headlines, and will be joined by rapper Future and Tyla will return from Mexico to perform one more ceremony. Thai-born global pop star LISA, fresh from her success with K-pop group BLACKPINK, is also on the bill alongside Brazilian hitmaker Anitta and Nigerian superstar Rema, who’ve combined to make World Cup album track “Goals.”
Infantino’s words about the US ceremony capture its ambition:
“The lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas, highlighting the nation’s rich influence on music, entertainment and pop culture, while showcasing the power of music to bring people together across the country.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has asked that “every Angeleno be part of this historic moment,” with the city’s “Kick It In the Park” initiative organising free watch parties, youth soccer clinics, and community celebrations across Los Angeles.
The US last hosted the World Cup in 1994, and they’ll be hoping to put on a better show than what Dianna Ross did, when part of her performance required her to score a penalty that ultimately went wide.
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