Nick Ames
@nickames82.bsky.social
European sports correspondent, the Guardian
Portsmouth have now managed twice within a month not to get a game on against Ipswich – not acceptable in the Championship in 2026.
February 3, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Portsmouth have now managed twice within a month not to get a game on against Ipswich – not acceptable in the Championship in 2026.
Reposted by Nick Ames
Infantino claims Russia’s global football ban has achieved nothing and should be reversed. But it has, hasn’t it? It is only nation banned from the world’s most-popular sport and that has to sting, it’s a very visible consequence of what’s happened. Reminder fifa largely forced into this ban
February 2, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Infantino claims Russia’s global football ban has achieved nothing and should be reversed. But it has, hasn’t it? It is only nation banned from the world’s most-popular sport and that has to sting, it’s a very visible consequence of what’s happened. Reminder fifa largely forced into this ban
Reposted by Nick Ames
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Passion, prospects and a thrilling title race: why Polish football is booming
Four points separate first from eighth in the Ekstraklasa and the aim is to establish Europe’s most interesting league as its sixth biggest
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Passion, prospects and a thrilling title race: why Polish football is booming
Four points separate first from eighth in the Ekstraklasa and the aim is to establish Europe’s most interesting league as its sixth biggest
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Dynamo Moscow claim their second team beat German club Rott-Weiss Wittlich in a friendly today – a game the latter don't seem in a rush to publicise. Hard to recall any/many similar match-ups involving Russian clubs over the past four years ...
January 29, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Dynamo Moscow claim their second team beat German club Rott-Weiss Wittlich in a friendly today – a game the latter don't seem in a rush to publicise. Hard to recall any/many similar match-ups involving Russian clubs over the past four years ...
Reposted by Nick Ames
😬 Newcastle pull off an impressive draw v PSG.
🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men.
@maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social
🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men.
@maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social
January 29, 2026 at 1:47 PM
😬 Newcastle pull off an impressive draw v PSG.
🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men.
@maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social
🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men.
@maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social
Bodø/Glimt the single-handed saviours of European football.
January 28, 2026 at 10:01 PM
Bodø/Glimt the single-handed saviours of European football.
Reposted by Nick Ames
For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘We are fighters, it’s in our DNA’: Greenland find pride in rare tilt at futsal glory
Buffeted by political storms and excluded from continental federations, Greenland find their chances are limited but a tournament in Croatia is a priceless opportunity
www.theguardian.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:21 AM
For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘We are fighters, it’s in our DNA’: Greenland find pride in rare tilt at futsal glory
Buffeted by political storms and excluded from continental federations, Greenland find their chances are limited but a tournament in Croatia is a priceless opportunity
www.theguardian.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:21 AM
For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Reposted by Nick Ames
A World Cup boycott over Trump? Football’s hypotheticals cannot be dismissed any more | Nick Ames
A World Cup boycott over Trump? Football’s hypotheticals cannot be dismissed any more | Nick Ames
Unprecedented times call for previously unthinkable conversations when it comes to the US-shaped problem
Could European countries really decide to boycott the World Cup this summer? It is an astonishing question to be asking in 2026 and an indictment of the bind in which, as Donald Trump sows confusion around a potential annexation of Greenland, the world’s most popular sport finds itself. But the idea is at least seeping into the mainstream and senior figures are asking what, in a worst-case scenario, it would take for football to meet the moment.
Unprecedented times call for previously unthinkable conversations. As the Guardian reported this week, an anniversary party for the Hungarian FA on Monday became the forum for unofficial discussions among national association heads about how a unified approach to the US-shaped problem might take shape. Continue reading...
dlvr.it
January 22, 2026 at 6:35 PM
A World Cup boycott over Trump? Football’s hypotheticals cannot be dismissed any more | Nick Ames
Reposted by Nick Ames
UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Concerned European football chiefs discuss response to Trump over Greenland
European football’s leaders are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump’s wish to annex Greenland and have held initial discussions about how the sport could respond
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:56 PM
UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Concerned European football chiefs discuss response to Trump over Greenland
European football’s leaders are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump’s wish to annex Greenland and have held initial discussions about how the sport could respond
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:56 PM
UEFA and European FAs deeply concerned about Greenland crisis. Informal talks held this week about what a response could look like if things escalate in fast-moving situation. Military aggression likely red line for serious World Cup boycott talk. Story: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Scandalous, astonishing end to the AFCON final (if indeed it’s the end).
January 18, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Scandalous, astonishing end to the AFCON final (if indeed it’s the end).
Reposted by Nick Ames
What happens when you let AI write match reports? You end up with reports for games that never happened. Levante v Villarreal was postponed due to bad weather but according to this site it was played, finished 0-0 and was very dull. They even awarded a man of the match! www.bwin.com/en/news/post...
Levante 0-0 Villarreal: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments
Bwin’s post-match review of Levante 0-0 Villarreal in the La Liga on Sunday, 14 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.
www.bwin.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:11 PM
What happens when you let AI write match reports? You end up with reports for games that never happened. Levante v Villarreal was postponed due to bad weather but according to this site it was played, finished 0-0 and was very dull. They even awarded a man of the match! www.bwin.com/en/news/post...
In case you missed it, yesterday's interview with Michel Platini: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘A group of people decided to kill me’: Michel Platini on Fifa, Uefa and the fight to clear his name
The former Uefa president – caught between moving on and settling old scores – talks candidly about his downfall, Blatter, Infantino and the snakepit of the game’s governance
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:08 AM
In case you missed it, yesterday's interview with Michel Platini: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Reposted by Nick Ames
Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘A group of people decided to kill me’: Michel Platini on Fifa, Uefa and the fight to clear his name
The former Uefa president – caught between moving on and settling old scores – talks candidly about his downfall, Blatter, Infantino and the snakepit of the game’s governance
www.theguardian.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘A group of people decided to kill me’: Michel Platini on Fifa, Uefa and the fight to clear his name
The former Uefa president – caught between moving on and settling old scores – talks candidly about his downfall, Blatter, Infantino and the snakepit of the game’s governance
www.theguardian.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Interview with Michel Platini – now in the clear but wanting to settle a few scores. On purported plot to "kill" him, Infantino's power lust, the need for Ceferin to face down Fifa, plans for a comeback behind the scenes and whether romantics can really win: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Utterly insane VAR offside there even by VAR standards. It’s so very, very boring.
January 13, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Utterly insane VAR offside there even by VAR standards. It’s so very, very boring.
Reposted by Nick Ames
The narrative about London crime is truly so BORING to Londoners.
Those of us who walk & travel around our city safely every day, every night.
The likeliest daily risk to Londoners is of being ripped off by our landlord or somewhere charging us £4.50 for a coffee. #r4today
Those of us who walk & travel around our city safely every day, every night.
The likeliest daily risk to Londoners is of being ripped off by our landlord or somewhere charging us £4.50 for a coffee. #r4today
January 12, 2026 at 8:02 AM
The narrative about London crime is truly so BORING to Londoners.
Those of us who walk & travel around our city safely every day, every night.
The likeliest daily risk to Londoners is of being ripped off by our landlord or somewhere charging us £4.50 for a coffee. #r4today
Those of us who walk & travel around our city safely every day, every night.
The likeliest daily risk to Londoners is of being ripped off by our landlord or somewhere charging us £4.50 for a coffee. #r4today
Reposted by Nick Ames
Statement from the RC Strasbourg Supporters' Federation (FSRCS) on Liam Rosenior's move to fellow BlueCo-owned club, Chelsea.
![The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks another humiliating step in Racing's subservience to Chelsea. For the past two and a half years, we, along with others, have tried to raise awareness about this issue. The problem goes far beyond the mid-season sporting impact and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake. Every additional move by [club president] Marc Keller, every extra minute spent at the helm of the club, is an insult to the tremendous work done before 2023. What was seen by many as an outrageous act last September increasingly looks like sound advice: he must leave. Now. The FSRCS will coordinate closely with the three other associations actively fighting against multiclub ownership, as well as all people of goodwill, to define the next steps. Go Racing!
#Nonȧlamultipropriété #BlueCoOut](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:57ptth5sqzr5ig2qzm7zdfnv/bafkreicrpkiliasrkziler6jc7zwm2ave7oo7mqiirb46oh2ty44uce4q4@jpeg)
January 6, 2026 at 11:46 AM
Statement from the RC Strasbourg Supporters' Federation (FSRCS) on Liam Rosenior's move to fellow BlueCo-owned club, Chelsea.
Your portal to a time when Ruben Amorim was still Manchester United manager: www.theguardian.com/football/aud...
Chelsea dagger for Guardiola as Arsenal move six points clear – Football Weekly
Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nick Ames and Seb Hutchinson to discuss a weekend of Premier League drama
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Your portal to a time when Ruben Amorim was still Manchester United manager: www.theguardian.com/football/aud...
Reposted by Nick Ames
Any questions for the panel?
@maxrushden.bsky.social
@barryglendenning.bsky.social
@nickames82.bsky.social
Seb Hutchinson
👇👌🎙️
@maxrushden.bsky.social
@barryglendenning.bsky.social
@nickames82.bsky.social
Seb Hutchinson
👇👌🎙️
January 4, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Any questions for the panel?
@maxrushden.bsky.social
@barryglendenning.bsky.social
@nickames82.bsky.social
Seb Hutchinson
👇👌🎙️
@maxrushden.bsky.social
@barryglendenning.bsky.social
@nickames82.bsky.social
Seb Hutchinson
👇👌🎙️
Reposted by Nick Ames
On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”
And from this month in Zagreb with Zvonimir Boban, who didn't hold back on anything – Infantino, Fifa, Uefa and why a lifelong love brought him home. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Zvonimir Boban: ‘If I didn’t do this it would be a betrayal of every value I have lived for’
The Croatia legend tells Nick Ames about his return to Dinamo Zagreb, his fall out with Uefa and the ‘shameful’ actions of Gianni Infantino
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:23 AM
On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”
On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”
And from this month in Zagreb with Zvonimir Boban, who didn't hold back on anything – Infantino, Fifa, Uefa and why a lifelong love brought him home. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Zvonimir Boban: ‘If I didn’t do this it would be a betrayal of every value I have lived for’
The Croatia legend tells Nick Ames about his return to Dinamo Zagreb, his fall out with Uefa and the ‘shameful’ actions of Gianni Infantino
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:23 AM
On Fifa peace prize: “It shouldn’t be a political organisation but now you’re doing this, it’s shameful … It shows that the way is lost. At least that’s how everything has been presented with this ridiculous piece of work. And I’m sorry for that. Sorry for Fifa, sorry for him, sorry for football.”
Not sure anyone still does this but here are five pieces I particularly enjoyed working on in 2025. First, with Bodø/Glimt exploring the traditions that underpin an astonishing tale: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
‘One big dream’: Bodø/Glimt’s modern miracle built on history and humility
Family club, known as a symbol of northern Norwegian self-esteem, prepare to face Tottenham in Europa League semis
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Not sure anyone still does this but here are five pieces I particularly enjoyed working on in 2025. First, with Bodø/Glimt exploring the traditions that underpin an astonishing tale: www.theguardian.com/football/202...