Plus: teams on epic draw streaks, early season pitch invasions and long-throw world records Mail us with your questions and answers “Manchester City had 32.8% possession in their 1-1 draw at Arsenal last month, the lowest of Pep Guardiola’s career,” begins Graham Murphy. “Do any managers have a higher lowest-possession...
Discrimination is on the rise again in football – we must remain united in the fight against it | Samuel Okafor
Under pressure from prevailing winds in society, football has to stand together to protect and celebrate diversity Football is deeply woven into the fabric of society, so perhaps it is no surprise that at Kick It Out we have seen a rise in reports of discrimination since the summer. The...
Jos Buttler: ‘A big burden has been lifted – I wasn’t the same leader after the 2023 World Cup’
The England white-ball veteran on his post-captaincy career, his Ashes struggles and the recent death of his father Another summer is over and, for Jos Buttler, life and cricket feel more precious than ever. The fleeting nature of both has been accentuated by the loss of Buttler’s father, John, after...
Deepti Sharma leads India rally to deny Sri Lanka in Cricket World Cup opener
India, 269-8, beat Sri Lanka, 211, by 59 runs (DLS) Sharma scores 53 and takes three wickets in Guwahati Deepti Sharma impressed with bat and ball as India defeat fellow co-hosts Sri Lanka by 59 runs (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) in the rain-affected opening match of the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup....
‘Don’t panic’: Van Dijk’s message to Liverpool fans after second defeat in four days
Liverpool captain admits ‘improvement is needed’ Slot says Alisson 99.9% sure to miss trip to Chelsea Virgil van Dijk insisted Liverpool should not panic despite back-to-back defeats for only the second time under Arne Slot at Galatasaray. Injuries to Alisson and Hugo Ekitiké added to Liverpool’s worries as their head...
Team Europe and Red Roses use connection to past, present and future to create history | Cath Bishop
Both teams embraced the history of their sports to embody strong identities they needed to dig deep when it mattered Making history is such an overused phrase in sport. There’s a danger we start to believe it’s easy, expected, nothing special. Or that it just happens by magic in an...
Faux-humble José Mourinho plays his part on oddly tender Chelsea return | Barney Ronay
This was not a hangover from another world. It was bang up to date, a piece of pure theatre, entertainment product The whump of pitchside flames, the tinny theatre of the Uefa anthem, a craning of necks, a rising crackle of energy. And finally there he was out on the...
Late own goal rescues point for Spurs at Bodø/Glimt after Hauge double
These are strange times for Tottenham. Historically they have often been a side whose performances did not match their results, but tradition has it they would be pretty and ineffective. Under Thomas Frank they have become the opposite. Midway through the second half Spurs were 2-0 down and apparently on...
Farewell the Wizard: Chris Woakes could cast spells but let his cricket do the talking | Ali Martin
Warwickshire all-rounder always put the team first and hit the heights for England with an enviable Test career and two World Cup wins As suspected at the time, Chris Woakes bravely walking out to bat at the Oval in August, arm in a sling, crowd on their feet, was his...
Three years on from stadium disaster, Indonesian football has a positive story to tell
The World Cup is in reach for Patrick Kluivert’s side and, though problems persist, things are looking up in one of Asia’s most passionate football nations Three years ago this Wednesday, 135 football fans died at the Kanjuruhan stadium in Indonesia after security forces deployed teargas and created a stampede...