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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 8h

Scotland get the job done against Belarus... just.

Goals from Che Adams and Scott McTominay earn them victory in their pursuit of World Cup qualification.

Belarus scored late at Hampden Park through Gleb Kuchko, had a goal disallowed in the second half, and ended the match having had 22 shots.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 9h

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is the latest high-profile figure to come to the defence of Florian Wirtz following his slow start to life at Liverpool.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 10h

Arsenal end a four-game winless run with a 1-0 win over Brighton.

Marisa Olislagers' own goal proved the difference between the two sides at the Emirates.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 12h

Werder Bremen beat Hamburg 2-0 in the Frauen-Bundesliga on Saturday.

Werder Bremen captain Medina Desic came up with a new way of goading rivals after full-time.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 13h

Manchester United win the first Women's Super League match at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Marc Skinner's side came from a goal down to record a resounding win against Everton: Melvine Malard's strike, Jess Park's double and an own goal from Hikaru Kitagawa see United leave Merseyside with a 4-1 win.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 15h

This was no ordinary World Cup qualifier. Norway’s discomfort in hosting Israel was clear and an enormous security operation was deemed necessary in Oslo.

The prospect of peace in Gaza has moved closer in the last week, but Norway told the world again that its alliance is with Palestinian people.

Norway vs Israel was months in the planning for authorities, but politics seeped through

Officials from both teams discussed Gaza and the controversy of Saturday's game, while there were protests and a small number of arrests

www.nytimes.com

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Ireland had managed to keep Portugal out for 90 minutes, but in the first minute of added time, Ruben Neves heads home from Francisco Trincao's cross to win it for Roberto Martinez's side.

You can't say the hosts didn't deserve it.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Caoimhin Kelleher loves saving a penalty — he's just stopped Cristiano Ronaldo from the spot.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Mikel Oyarzabal doubles Spain's lead over Georgia with a thumping free-kick.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

It's a fantastic finish from Viktor Popov — who stretches his foot out, makes contact with the ball, and gets the ball to loop over the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately for the Bulgarian, the goalkeeper he lobbed was his own — and his goal gives Turkey the lead.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Giorgi Mamardashvili gives a penalty away against Spain — but he redeems himself, saving Ferran Torres' penalty.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Norway have missed the last 12 international tournaments — but they are looking good for a place at next year's World Cup.

Stale Solbakken's side beat Israel 5-0, with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick, and reaching 50 goals for his country.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez has withdrawn from the Argentina squad with membrane swelling in his right knee.

The knee issue could be another blow to Chelsea’s midfield as they are still missing Cole Palmer and summer-signing Dario Essugo.

@sjohnsonsport.bsky.social

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez withdraws from Argentina squad with synovitis in right knee

The 24-year-old is travelling to London where he will be examined by Chelsea's medical team to determine the severity of the issue.

www.nytimes.com

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Erling Haaland's hat-trick against Israel moves him past half a century of goals for Norway.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Norway are 3-0 up against Israel after half an hour.

The visitors have scored two own goals, from Anan Khalaili & Idan Nachmias, with Erling Haaland also scoring after his earlier penalty miss.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Erling Haaland has his penalty saved by Daniel Peretz — twice.

Norway are awarded a penalty, which Haaland takes, but the Israeli goalkeeper saves it.

The referee orders a re-take after Peretz is too quick to come off his line — but the Manchester City striker has his penalty saved again.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Should Ibrahima Konate be absent for next weekend’s game against Manchester United, captain Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez remain Liverpool’s only fit centre-back options.

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has withdrawn from the France squad due to a thigh injury.

The 26-year-old was an unused substitute during France’s 3-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Azerbaijan on Friday.

More from @jamespearcelfc.bsky.social & @nnamdionye.bsky.social

Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate withdraws from France squad with ‘minor’ thigh injury

Liverpool have already lost Alisson for a few weeks due to a hamstring problem and Giovanni Leoni to a season-ending ACL injury.

www.nytimes.com

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

🔮 Europe & South America's World Cup duopoly will end
🔮 London clubs will move out of the city/share grounds
🔮 The USMNT will be a serious force
🔮 Fewer top managers will be ex-players

@zonal-marking.bsky.social looks at some expectations about football from 25 years ago.

Eight expectations about football from 25 years ago that have proven misguided

From pay-per-view coverage to the loss of technical midfielders to indoor stadiums – some expectations from 2000 haven't come true

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by The Athletic | Football

Laia Cervelló Herrero @laiacervello.bsky.social · 1d

If there is anything close to a footballing Hogwarts, it is probably La Masia.

In this piece, we give you the names of the players who could be Barça's next young stars and why you should keep an eye on them.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...

Who will be Barcelona’s next breakthrough youngster?

Barca's production line never stops. Here, we break down the players looking to emulate Yamal and Co

www.nytimes.com

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

The latest on the Manchester United ownership:

📱 How a tweet sparked speculation
❓ What are ‘drag-along’ rights?
🧐 Why could Glazers be tempted to sell?
💷 How much could the club cost?

@lauriewhitwell.bsky.social, @dansheldon.bsky.social, @cweatherspoon.bsky.social & @mjcritchley.bsky.social

Man Utd ownership latest: Turki Al-Sheikh’s tweet, ‘drag-along’ rights and who could be interested?

Explaining how one post by a Saudi Arabian official sparked a fresh wave of speculation over the club's future

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by The Athletic | Football

Michael Walker @mwalkerfoot.bsky.social · 1d

www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Sir Bobby Charlton picked his World XI in 1960. We found it – and here it is

On what would have been his 88th birthday, we revisit Charlton's selection of the best players in the world from his 1960 Book of Soccer

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by The Athletic | Football

Michael Cox @zonal-marking.bsky.social · 1d

Football in 2025 doesn’t look how we expected it to in 2000. Here’s a list of eight things I anticipated would happen in that time, that have not happened at all.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Eight expectations about football from 25 years ago that have proven misguided

From pay-per-view coverage to the loss of technical midfielders to indoor stadiums – some expectations from 2000 haven't come true

www.nytimes.com

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The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · 1d

Between 1980 and 1984, Ibis won none of their 55 matches. Their goal difference over that period was minus 206. Ibis say this was the longest winless run in football history.

They have attracted global fame as a result.

@jacklang.bsky.social went to Brazil to meet them.

Meet the worst football team in the world… and their superstar hairdresser

Ibis Sport Club once went almost four years without winning a game - the Brazilians' attitude to their status has brought them global fame

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by The Athletic | Football

Jack Lang @jacklang.bsky.social · 1d

Íbis SC call themselves 'the worst team in the world'.

They once went four years without winning. Their mascot is called Little Defeat. Their biggest icon is a hairdresser called Mauro Shampoo, who only ever scored one goal for them.

So why is everyone so... happy?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Meet the worst football team in the world… and their superstar hairdresser

Ibis Sport Club once went almost four years without winning a game - the Brazilians' attitude to their status has brought them global fame

www.nytimes.com

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