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Marcus Trescothick will act as England’s interim head coach in their T20I and ODI series against Australia next month, but has not yet decided whether he wants to be considered as a long-term option for the white-ball role.Trescothick, one of England’s assistant coaches, is working with the Test team during their series against Sri Lanka and will leave the team during the third Test at The Oval. He will then link up with the white-ball squads – which are due to be announced next week – at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton ahead of the first T20I on September 11.”It’s not something I’d ever thought about before, until I got this opportunity now,” Trescothick said. “I’m not necessarily thinking any further ahead than the end of the Australia series. I’ve been very much focused on the job we’re doing here [with the Test team].Related

• Jos Buttler targeting Lancashire's T20 Blast quarter-final for injury comeback

• Mott steps down as England white-ball coach

• Mott's departure shifts focus to Buttler and need for a counterpoint

• Who wants to be England's next white-ball coach? It's a very short list

“You plan your winter: we’re off to Pakistan, then New Zealand. I’m so ingrained in that at the moment, I’ve not really sat down and said, ‘right, this is where I’ll try to go, this is what I’ll try to do’. I’m looking forward to the opportunity, for sure. I’m really excited about doing the job. We’ll work it out a little bit more from there.”Trescothick has never previously worked as a head coach but has expressed an interest in graduating to that role. He spent 18 months as an assistant coach at Somerset after his retirement as a player in late 2019, and has been involved in England’s staff since early 2021.He will be involved in selection and has a close relationship with Jos Buttler – who has retained the white-ball captaincy – from their time at Somerset together. Buttler returned to full training this week after a calf injury ruled him out of the Hundred, and could feature for Lancashire in their T20 Blast quarter-final against Sussex on September 4.England’s T20I series against Australia starts 24 hours after the scheduled close of play on the fifth day of their third and final Test against Sri Lanka, necessitating separate squads – though Jordan Cox may be included in the T20I squad if he is not required at The Oval. “They have a busy schedule,” Trescothick said. “The two series very closely overlap.”The ECB has yet to formally advertise the white-ball role vacated by Matthew Mott’s sacking at the start of this month, but Trescothick could become a strong contender if England perform well against Australia. Kumar Sangakkara is considered the early favourite but has not confirmed – or denied – whether he will apply.Andrew Flintoff, whose Northern Superchargers team missed out on the Hundred’s knockout stages on net run rate in his first role as head coach, could also be a contender. But he will not reprise his recent role in England’s coaching staff against Australia, with the reporting on Thursday that he has not “gelled” with Buttler.

تحدث كيليان مبابي لاعب ريال مدريد الإسباني ومنتخب فرنسا، بعد مساهمته في فوز منتخب بلاده على آيسلندا بتصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026، وتخطيه لرقم تييري هنري نجم منتخب الديوك السابق.

وتغلبت فرنسا على آيسلندا بهدفين مقابل هدف، مساء الثلاثاء، ضمن تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وقال مبابي في تصريحاته على قناة “TF1” الفرنسية: “هناك العديد من الدروس التي يجب تعلمها، هذه الدروس ليست دائمًا إيجابية، لكنها تسمح لنا بالعمل، لنرى ما ينقصنا، ونعرف مواطن التحسن”.

وأضاف: “هذه مباريات جيدة دائمًا للتحليل، ما زلنا في الصدارة، وتمكنا من حصد العديد من النقاط، من حيث النقاط، النتيجة مثالية، 6 نقاط من مباراتين، لا يوجد أفضل من ذلك”.

وأردف: “الآن، فيما يتعلق بأدائنا، هناك مجال للتحسين، وهناك أمور يجب تحسينها، هناك أشياء قمنا بها بشكل جيد، وهناك العديد من الدروس التي يمكن استخلاصها من هذه المباراة”.

وأشار: “كل فوز هو خطوة للأمام، علينا اتخاذ خطوات عديدة للتأهل، كل فوز يقربنا قليلًا من كأس العالم، نحن سعداء بالفوز على منافسينا المباشرين، علينا تكرار ذلك في أكتوبر، ستكون مباراة مختلفة لأننا لعبنا العديد من المباريات مع أنديتنا، لكننا مستعدون”.

وعن هدفه الثاني والخمسين، الذي سمح له بتجاوز تييري هنري مع منتخب فرنسا، استطرد مبابي: “أخبرتكم، كنت أعرف ذلك! كنت أعرف ذلك، إنه أمر رائع، أنا سعيد للغاية”.

وأتم: “سأتحدث عن هنري مجددًا لأنه لاعب استثنائي، إنه أسطورة حية، تجاوزه أمر رائع حقًا، لكن لا يزال هناك لاعب واحد يجب تجاوزه، على ما أعتقد (جيرو، برصيد 57 هدفًا)، لذا لن أحتفل كثيرًا (يضحك)، لا يزال هناك عمل يجب القيام به”.

Glasgow Rangers transfer business has been a major cause for concern since the summer of 2021.

Plenty of managers have come and gone during that time, but not one has been able to say they enjoyed success in the transfer market.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst spent big on the likes of Ben Davies, Rabbi Matondo, and Ridvan Yilmaz, but they have hardly set the world on fire at Ibrox.

Michael Beale also had money to spend, but like his predecessor, it was wasted on flops such as Sam Lammers and Jose Cifuentes, who are now playing elsewhere.

Last summer, Robin Propper and Nedim Bajrami arrived in Glasgow under Philippe Clement, but they also failed to live up to the hype generated upon their move to Scotland.

Of course, not every signing has been poor. Nico Raskin has emerged as one of the club’s best players this season, winning the club’s Player of the Year. Todd Cantwell was solid in spells, while Hamza Igamane could generate a profit for the Light Blues following a stunning debut campaign.

Perhaps the player who could become one of the most important for the club is Mohamed Diomande, who has gone about his business without much fanfare since joining in January 2024, initially on loan.

Mohamed Diomande has been a great signing for Rangers

The Ivorian midfielder joined the Gers on a six-month loan deal in the 2024 winter window, which would become permanent that summer for a fee in the region of £4.3m.

It was a gamble, especially with the money involved, but the move turned out to be a success.

He showed glimpses of his ability during the loan spell, scoring twice in 19 games, grabbing an assist too, and it looked as though he could become a key figure in Clement’s midfield.

Able to operate either as a number ten or in a slightly deeper role, Diomande’s ability to run with the ball and glide past opponents ensures he is a success in either of these roles.

With the likes of Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence likely to leave this summer, a space for someone like Diomande to play higher up the pitch could be available regularly. This season, the 23-year-old has scored six and registered nine assists in all competitions for the Light Blues.

His game is well-suited to a more advanced role. When compared to his positional peers across the Europa League this season, the midfielder ranks in the top 6% for assists (0.23) and in the top 11% for successful take-ons (1.14) per 90.

He has still to reach his peak years as a player, and if Rangers can keep hold of Diomande under the new manager, he could become the new fulcrum of the team.

Whoever does take charge of the Glasgow giants on a permanent basis will be keen on making their own signings. It appears as though the 49ers Enterprises have earmarked a Brazilian midfielder as one of the first of a new era this summer.

Rangers need a new midfielder

Several names have already been linked with a move to Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window opening in a few weeks.

The 49ers will be aiming to build a side that can challenge Celtic for domestic dominance, hoping that the club will return to the summit of Scottish football once again.

According to the Scottish Sun last week, the Light Blues have earmarked Basel loanee Metinho as a top target this summer.

He is currently valued a £4m, which is a significant outlay for the club. A potential move could depend on whether the new manager can raise funds by selling some deadwood.

He will return to his parent club, Troyes, when the season finishes, but with Championship clubs showing interest, acting swiftly will be key.

With Raskin being touted for a move to England this summer, the 49ers will need to replace the Belgian international sufficiently.

If Metinho arrives in Scotland, he could fill the gap left by Raskin, which, in turn, would allow him to thrive with Diomande in the midfield.

Why Rangers must sign Metinho

Metinho came through the Fluminense academy and was one of the best prospects of his generation.

Indeed, in 2021, he was lauded by SelecaoTalk, who said: “Brazil’s best from his generation. He’s called ‘Little Pogba’.”

“He’s got everything, so complete. Very similar to Gerson who also came through the Fluminense academy.”

Moving to Europe later that year, the Brazilians struggled to make much of an impact. An 18-month loan spell at Sparta Rotterdam saw him demonstrate glimpses of his talent.

Comparing Raskin and Metinho domestically this season
Metric (per 90)	Raskin	Metinho
Tackles	2.9	3
Interceptions	0.7	1.1
Possession lost	10.1	6.2
Total duels won	6.6	4.7
Balls recovered	5.7	4.5
Accurate passes	46.7	29.3
Stats via Sofascore

It wasn’t until moving to Basel earlier this year, however, that the 22-year-old finally matured enough to perform consistently well.

Operating at the heart of the midfield, Metinho has played a solid role in the club winning their first league title since 2017.

Across ten matches, he averages three tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game domestically, while also recovering 4.5 balls per game for the Swiss side.

Furthermore, his ability to retain possession is excellent, losing the ball just 6.2 times per game. The midfielder even wins an impressive 4.7 total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – for Basel.

These statistics would not only make a solid replacement for Raskin, but also someone who could work well deployed behind Diomande at the base of the midfield.

As evidenced, the Ivorian star looks better when playing in a more advanced role. Having someone like Metinho mopping up everything behind him would certainly give Diomande plenty of freedom to attack.

Much will depend on the finances available to the new manager this summer. If the Brazilian is still available for around £4m by the time he arrives at Ibrox, it is a move which could be worth pursuing.

He could be a player who may generate a magnificent profit in the years to come for the Glasgow side.

Rangers could sign the next Ryan Kent with move for "outstanding" star

As the 49ers look to rebuild Rangers’ squad during the summer, could they secure an “outstanding” winger on a free, who could be the next Ryan Kent?

By
Ben Gray

May 16, 2025

Consistency is key. No doubt, maintaining a decent baseline across the campaign is something that Arne Slot will have demanded of his Liverpool side at the start of the season, but the squad have surpassed expectations.

Despite only adding Federico Chiesa to the squad last summer and opting against investment in January, the Reds won the Premier League after beating Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago.

Levelling with Manchester United, given that it was Anfield’s 20th top-flight title, has been the icing on the cake.

Focus has now been turned toward making improvements this summer. With Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to sign for Real Madrid and left-back in need of attention, sporting director Richard Hughes has certainly got his work cut out.

However, his most important job is surely sourcing a replacement for Darwin Nunez.

Why Darwin Nunez needs to go

Nunez has been given ample opportunity to prove himself on Merseyside, but sadly, he’s now completed three seasons as a Liverpool player and each term has been a disappointment.

Liverpool’s club-record signing at £85m, the 25-year-old has scored 40 goals across 146 outings for the club, providing 26 assists for his teammates.

However, he’s regressed since Jurgen Klopp left at the end of last season, with his chequered exploits under the German’s wing now something more colourless, at odds with Slot’s meticulous, cool-headed system.

At the end of the day, he’s failed to score in 38 of his 44 matches across all competitions this season, which is terrible for a high-cost striker tasked with providing goals for a team competing at the very height of European football.

Mohamed Salah

49

33

23

Cody Gakpo

46

17

6

Luis Diaz

47

16

8

Diogo Jota

35

9

4

Darwin Nunez

44

7

7

Federico Chiesa

13

2

2

It’s hardly surprising that Liverpool want a new centre-forward to ease Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring load. Fabrizio Romano has actually said that the plan is for the Uruguayan to be offloaded.

Of course, Liverpool will need to bring in an able replacement.

Liverpool lining up new striker

While Alexander Isak is the dream, Newcastle are confident they will be playing Champions League football next year, thus meaning their £150m valuation will stand strong against the waves of suitors. Liverpool would be forgiven for ceding defeat in that one, along with the rest.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Well, according to Spanish reports, the champions have turned their attention to Julian Alvarez, with FSG hatching a plan to sign Atletico Madrid’s star forward this summer.

While Alvarez only joined the La Liga side from Manchester City for an £81m fee last year, Liverpool view the Argentine as the perfect profile to front Slot’s system and are lining up a move.

The report concludes by suggesting that the Reds have ‘not officially ruled out a move yet’ for the striker.

It goes without saying that facilitating a deal will be no easy task, although Atletico’s interest in Nunez could see Hughes and co play an interesting bargaining chip to sweeten a prospective deal for both parties.

Why Julian Alvarez is perfect for Slot

Off the bat, Alvarez would be a good signing for Liverpool given his experience in English football, accomplished as one of Pep Guardiola’s trophy-winning stars at Manchester City.

The 25-year-old has hit 55 goal contributions across 103 appearances for City, notably winning the treble in 2022/23. However, he’s gone up a gear since moving to Spain.

Indeed, Alvarez has scored 27 goals and added five more assists across 51 fixtures in his debut season for Atletico Madrid, with his exploits leading journalist Roy Nemer to pronounce him “the best centre-forward in the world” for the 2024/25 season.

That praise alone differentiates him far enough from Nunez’s toils to suggest that Liverpool would be wise to make their move, but there’s more to it than that.

His ever-improving prolific sense is great, but FSG’s technicians tend to look beneath the surface when profiling a potential target, and the dynamic attacker ticks a lot of boxes.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s good with his feet, both in collecting and calmly distributing the ball in tight spaces or indeed navigating away from danger in such enclosed areas, nimbly darting past opponents before finding room to strike on goal.

Nunez does bear a likeness to the Atletico man; electric-paced and multi-faceted, it’s clear to see why Klopp thought he saw something special when plucking a young Nunez from his clinical career at Benfica, but his temperament and decision-making have ultimately let him down.

Conversely, Alvarez is always attentive to the situation he is in, making the right decisions and putting the right weight on his passes, hitting the ball sweetly when shooting himself. One Real Madrid reporter even conceded recently that the £116k-per-week talent is “such an intelligent football player.”

Nunez’s poor finishing and questionable decision in the build-up have ultimately alienated him from a position of pedigree in Slot’s squad. Since Boxing Day, the international has only started once in the Premier League, which makes a pretty damning indictment on how he is viewed by his head coach.

He will depart with Anfield’s gratitude and appreciation following the part he has played in recent years, stabilising the ship after an initial team-wide slump, winning the Carabao Cup last year and indeed contributing toward sealing the Premier League title this year.

But Slot is not prepared to watch his flourishing project stagnate, and will happily enforce Nunez’s sale if it means a player of Alvarez’s ilk could be brought in.

It might make all the difference.

Slot's new Trent: Liverpool make bid for "one of the greatest CMs ever"

Liverpool are going to be busy shoppers in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 8, 2025

As concerns over Alexander Isak’s future continue to rumble on, Newcastle United are reportedly poised to join the race in pursuit of signing a forward who has matched their star man for goals this season.

Newcastle braced to stand strong in Isak saga

As much as they’ll be desperate to avoid it, the Isak rumours aren’t going away anytime soon. Instead, Newcastle are likely to face a summer-long saga which will end one of two ways. The Swedish star is one of the most wanted strikers in European football and with Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly on his list of suitors, there is no doubt that he’ll have a decision to make in the coming months.

That said, his price tag certainly reflects the amount of interest in his signature. Reportedly pricing their star man at as much as £160m this summer, Newcastle are keen to at least get bang for their buck if Isak departs or preferably simply scare away the suitors.

As good as Murphy: Newcastle star just proved he's as undroppable as Isak

The Newcastle United star showed why he is as undroppable as Alexander Isak.

ByDan Emery Apr 8, 2025

When asked about his future and a potential new deal at St James’ Park, Isak told reporters in the build-up to Newcasle’s Carabao Cup final success: “That will probably be a talking point once the season finishes, but we will really see because no talks have been held yet.

“Really, about my future, it is not really something I think about. During a season I just focus on the job and it’s probably the worst time to think about anything else. All of our focus is just on Sunday, doing good and hopefully bringing the trophy back to Newcastle.“

Until he puts pen to paper on a new deal, then the anxiety around Isak’s Newcastle future is likely to remain in Tyneside. It does at least look like the club are preparing for the worst, however, having identified a potential replacement who’s arguably as good as the former Real Sociedad man.

Newcastle poised to battle for Vangelis Pavlidis

According to reports in Portugal, as relayed by Sports Witness, Newcastle are now poised to battle Chelsea to sign Vangelis Pavlidis from Benfica this summer, who has a release clause worth as much as €100m (£87m).

The forward has stepped into Darwin Nunez’s role ever since he left Benfica for Liverpool in 2022 and has exceeded the struggling Anfield star ever since. Now, he may have done enough to earn himself a Premier League move of his own, especially if Isak calls it quits at Newcastle this summer.

Appearances

46

35

Goals

24

24

Assists

10

5

Involved in more goals than the 29 that Isak has managed, Pavlidis has also matched the Swede’s total of strikes in all competitions and looks like a player destined for great things this summer.

Dubbed “decisive” by analyst Data Foot on X, the 26-year-old is at the peak of his powers and could yet become Benfica’s most successful recent export by doing what Nunez has failed to do in the Premier League.

Newcastle, meanwhile, could splash the cash to welcome a potential replacement for Isak should he depart this summer.

Reliving five of the Sri Lanka allrounder’s best performances in Test cricket in the lead-up to his final match

Madushka Balasuriya15-Jun-2025Angelo Mathews laid down a marker early in his captaincy in Abu Dhabi, 12 years ago•AFP

A showcase of mettle

91 & 157* vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi (2013/14)The retirements of longtime stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were fast approaching, and Mathews’ Test captaincy, still in its infancy, was, perhaps unfairly, being compared to that of his soon-to-be-gone predecessors.But as Sri Lanka’s batting wilted under not-very-testing conditions, slumping to 124 for 8 after being put in, Mathews began to showcase a hitherto unseen Test mettle. A counterattacking 91 off 127, shielding the tail, dragged the visitors to a subpar but acceptable 204, though the main course was still to come.Sri Lanka wound up conceding a 179-run first innings lead, but if the first innings was Mathews fighting back, the second showed a side many hadn’t yet seen as he ground his way to an unbeaten 157 off 343 deliveries.It helped set a final day target of 302, but more importantly ate up time, ensuring Pakistan had little chance to attempt the chase. Mathews’ efforts eventually secured a hard-fought draw and a deserved Player-of-the-Match award.A Galle special: Mahela Jayawardene celebrates Angelo Mathews and his rain-thwarting cameo•AFP

The rain man

25* vs Pakistan, Galle (2014)This one is a rogue entry in our list. As day five began, a draw seemed foregone – Pakistan still had nine wickets in hand, there was little in the pitch for the bowlers, and even if Sri Lanka did pick up those wickets cheaply the heavy rains forecast meant the chance of a result was virtually non-existent.Fast forward a few hours, and a Rangana Herath masterclass had manifested the impossible. While a target of 99 off 21 overs was eminently gettable, the certainty of rain – a case of when not if – was a problem. In fading light, the brazen attempts at time wasting from the Pakistan players was a necessary evil.Related

• Mathews defies drama, one last time

• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: New beginnings for both teams as WTC restarts in Galle

• Mathews Interview: 'I lost a lot of hair during my captaincy'

• 'Time for me to say goodbye' – Mathews to retire from Test cricket

It was in the face of all this that Mathews walked out with 40 needed off 55, though realistically it was more like 40 off 30 – 20 perhaps? Whatever it was, Mathews wasn’t to know. All he knew was that he would have to make the most of the time that was ticking.In the end he wound up facing 13 deliveries; two went for six, two more for four. The 13th? A single that was never on, leading to a direct hit that never happened.With half the batting still to come afterwards, a direct hit would in most scenarios have been inconsequential, but here, in the time it would have taken for the next batter to walk to the middle, the clouds that had been hovering menacingly all day would have finally given way. Instead, when the rains did come, it was no longer as spoiler, rather just another celebrant of the most improbable of wins.”It was one of the best games I have taken part in,” Mathews would proclaim afterwards, and all these years later you’d be hard pressed to disagree.Angelo Mathews at Headingley in 2014 was a total vibe•Ben Radford/Getty Images

The peak

160 & 4/44 vs England, Leeds (2014)Mathews the allrounder has reached almost mythical proportions in Sri Lankan cricket folklore. An all-time what-could-have-been. But in the summer of 2014, Mathews was at the peak of his powers.Following an uninspired Sri Lankan first innings, England were threatening to bat Sri Lanka out of the game. The hosts had lost just two wickets by the time they surpassed Sri Lanka’s 257, but Mathews’s 4 for 44 snaked through England’s tail and ensured the lead didn’t go beyond 108.It was with bat though that Mathews truly shaped the game to his will, in an innings that was every bit the line between victory and defeat. His partnership alongside Mahela Jayawardene had helped extend Sri Lanka’s lead, but certainly not to match-winning territory. Jayawardene’s fall led to two more wickets, stunting Sri Lanka’s progress and leaving their lead below 200 with just three wickets in hand.It was here that Mathews steeled his resolve, as might an Anime hero on the verge of collapse. Sri Lanka’s collective hand weakened, but Mathews’ power grew as he shepherded an equally dogged Herath to dismantle England with precision and a devastating sense of clarity. Their 149-run stand for the eighth wicket was the second-highest for Sri Lanka.His 160 came off 249 deliveries, perhaps regulation by modern standards, but blazing in that era – particularly in a Sri Lankan context. Mathews steered his team to a 350-run lead and, eventually, a quite dramatic final-day victory.Angelo Mathews made his eighth Test hundred in Delhi•BCCI

A show of defiance

111 vs India, Delhi (2017)Sri Lanka had never won a Test in India, and going into this series any hope of that stat changing was as low as it had ever been. The first match had ended in a draw but in the second, India had scampered home by an innings. The third was seemingly heading in the same direction, headlined by a first-innings Virat Kohli double-ton.Adding to Sri Lanka’s misery was the weather. Air pollution levels in Delhi had reached “very unhealthy” levels, with several Lankan players struggling to cope and one even vomiting in the dressing room. At one point Sri Lanka were left with just 10 available players on the field, a contributing factor towards India’s eventual declaration.This served to bring an edge to an already tetchy contest, with India unimpressed by the number of medical stoppages in play called for by Sri Lankan players. Perhaps it was this which spurred on Mathews, as he and Dinesh Chandimal put on a 181-run fourth wicket stand.Mathews had passed fifty just thrice in his 10 previous Tests, and had openly spoken of the unending pressure of his role as captain and senior batter. But here he dipped into his reserves of experience, to negate the varying threats posed by the quartet of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.Despite his best efforts, Sri Lanka would still end up over 150 in the red, but it showed the youngsters in the side that grit and hard work could get the job done, even in conditions as tough as this. And so it proved as Sri Lanka’s young vanguard led the way in batting out day five to secure a hard-fought draw.Angelo Mathews hit back at his coach for questioning his fitness with a push-up celebration of his century•Getty Images

He did it all day

83 & 120* vs New Zealand, Wellington (2018)Mathews had come into this game with a point to prove. Dropped from the white-ball side by then head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe over fitness concerns, he was a man on a mission. In the first innings he had struck a defiant 83, but saved his most pointed retort for the final innings.With Sri Lanka staring down the barrel at 13 for 3, some 283 runs behind New Zealand, and two full days of cricket ahead, Mathews was joined at the crease by Kusal Mendis. What followed was a bloody-minded display of batting that nobody seemed quite prepared for, even if the pitch that had begun to ease out.Against an outstanding New Zealand attack that contained Neil Wagner, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, Mathews and Mendis gave nothing away over a whole day’s play. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson conceded as much afterwards, exclaiming that his side had tried every trick possible but to no avail.This was an innings most memorable for Mathews’ push-up celebration upon reaching his century, directed at the dressing room. This though would not detract from Mathews’ and Mendis’ focus, as the pair batted out the entirety of day four, as well as 12 overs on day five – their stand worth 274 off 655 deliveries – before rain brought an end to the game.

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20 Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19 Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18 Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17 Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16 Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15 Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14 ​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13 Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12 Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11 Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

تحدث لويس جارسيا أسطورة ليفربول، عن تصريحات محمد صلاح الهجومية ضد آرني سلوت وفريقه، بعد التعادل أمام ليدز يونايتد بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق، في الدوري الانجليزي.

وقال جارسيا عن انفعال صلاح في تصريحات نشرتها “ESPN”: “من المحزن أن نرى صلاح يضطر للصراحة والإدلاء بمثل هذه التصريحات”.

وأضاف عن جناح ليفربول: “لست من محبي الإدلاء بتصريحات علنية والتوجه للصحافة لتقديم شكوتي بشأن أي موقف حدث في غرفة الملابس أو لنفسك، إنها طريقة لعدم التعبير عن مشاعرك الحقيقية”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. “نُحبه بشدة ولكن!”.. ردود أفعال متباينة لجماهير ليفربول على تصريحات محمد صلاح ضد سلوت

وواصل: “أفضل طريقة هي التحدث إلى مدربك أو المدير الرياضي وليس للصحافة، يصبح الأمر أشبه بقنبلة، لأنه لم يعد يتعلق بك وحدك بل بما يحدث في غرفة الملابس، بصرف النظر عن ذلك، أتفهم أنه قد يشعر بالإحباط، هو أسطورة النادي وأحد أهم لاعبيه”.

وأكمل: “يؤثر تقدم السن على أداء الفريق، وعدم تحقيق النتائج المرجوة، بعد موسم رائع، فجأة لم يسجل صلاح سوى أربعة أهداف، اثنان منها من ركلة جزاء ويبدو أن تراكم ذلك يجعله في مرمى الصحافة”.

وختم: “يمكنك أن ترى أنه يشعر بخيبة أمل وإحباط، لست متأكداً مما يمكن أن ينتج عن هذا، آمل أن يتمكنوا من التحدث ومحاولة معالجة الوضع، لأن ليفربول لا يحتاج لمزيد من الضجيج حول النادي والفريق بحاجة للتكاتف”.

MatériaMais Notícias

RB Bragantino e Flamengo se enfrentam neste sábado (4), pela quinta rodada da Série A do Brasileirão. A bola vai rolar a partir das 18h30 (de Brasília), no Nabizão, em Bragança Paulista (SP), com transmissão do Premiere.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalpites de HojePalpite: Bragantino x Flamengo – Campeonato Brasileiro – 4/5/2024Palpites de Hoje04/05/2024FlamengoPressionado no Flamengo, Tite busca novas soluções para amenizar crise e quebrar tabu diante do BragantinoFlamengo04/05/2024NotíciasZebra Rubro-Negra! Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$243 se o Flamengo vencer o BragantinoNotícias03/05/2024

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

As odds disponiveis no Lance! Betting apontam 2.43 para um triunfo do Flamengo, 2.9 no empate e 2.9 para uma vitória do Bragantino no Brasileirão.

Na última rodada do Brasileirão, o Flamengo foi derrotado pelo Botafogo, enquanto o Bragantino empatou com o Fortaleza.

➡️ A maior cobertura do futebol brasileiro. Aproveite 30 dias grátis e assine o Premiere!

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
RB BRAGANTINO X FLAMENGO
BRASILEIRÃO SÉRIE A – QUINTA RODADA

🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 4 de maio de 2024, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Nabizão, em Bragança Paulista (SP)
📺 Onde assistir: Premiere
🟨 Árbitro: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (FIFA-MG)
🚩 Assistentes: Guilherme Dias Camilo (FIFA-MG) e Celso Luiz da Silva (MG)
🖥️ VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (FIFIA-RS)

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! Flamengo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Rubro-Negro

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
RB BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha)
Cleiton; Nathan Mendes, Pedro Henrique, Eduardo Santos e Juninho Capixaba; Jadsom, Eric Ramires e Gustavo Neves; Vitinho, Mosquera e Eduardo Sasha

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Tite)
Rossi, Wesley, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas; Allan, Igor Jesus, Gerson e De la Cruz; Pedro e Bruno Henrique

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFlamengo

His execution of wide yorkers after coming in as Impact Player denied Gujarat Titans

Shashank Kishore31-Mar-2025Vijaykumar Vyshak didn’t know until 13 overs into the Gujarat Titans (GT) chase in Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) IPL 2025 opener that he would be summoned as an Impact Player. But when Arshdeep Singh suggested they bring in Vyshak, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer did what was needed.With 75 runs needed from 36 balls, Vyshak, having reviewed his plans with the support staff, tried to bowl wide yorkers to Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford, whose strike rates against those deliveries were “low”.”I didn’t know if I was going to be there,” Vyshak told ESPNcricinfo. “They [Iyer & Co] were also thinking of a spinner. And then I got to know I’ll be on for the 14th over. All along, I had been going through my plans – so when the opportunity came, I was ready to go.”Related

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As Vyshak came on, Arshdeep told him to “err on the wider side”. It was a change from their original plan of trying to mix his variations, including bowling a knuckleball that he is known to deliver effectively.”Initially, Plan A was to bowl slow bouncers,” Vyshak said. “But the wicket wasn’t two-paced. The ball wasn’t holding up. There was a lot of dew. Considering all that, the coaches said, ‘Let’s stick to the wide yorker’. It was a case of them planning and me executing.”Vyshak gave away just ten runs in his first two overs. By his third, after Buttler’s dismissal, GT needed 45 more from 12 deliveries. Despite Marco Jansen conceding 20 runs in two overs from the other end, Vyshak’s first two overs had already put GT on the back foot. So much so that even 18 runs from his third over – the 19th of the chase – left GT with an improbable 27 runs to get in the final over. PBKS eventually won by 11 runs, and it was a strong comeback for Vyshak, who had recovered from a quadricep injury that kept him out of the second half of the Ranji Trophy during the domestic season.The injury struck just as Vyshak, on the BCCI’s list of targeted fast bowlers, had broken into India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series in November.Vijaykumar Vyshak: “Until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets”•Punjab Kings”I always say this to myself that whatever I can do in my control, I will do that,” he said. “If you have to give your 100%, I’ll give my 110%. But injuries are not in your hands. I am someone who is really willing to give myself that extra push.”I don’t mind pushing extra yards in the practice session until I get what I’m doing, whether it is yorkers, whether it is length balls or slower ones. If I want to do something, I am just going to do it. And then, until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets. That is something that has helped me grow.”And then, for this sport, especially when you’re playing T20s, you’ve got to be mentally strong because some days you don’t nail your yorkers. But you’ve got to be mentally strong, and you’ve got to accept the fact that this is not happening. You’ve got to change; you’ve got to go to your Plan Bs. So that is something that I’ve been working on.”Vyshak is a strong advocate for “positive vibes” and “routines” to the extent that if he feels he did something different at training or during his pre-match routine that worked well, it’s likely he would have noted it down somewhere to be able to go back to later.”If the previous day – like match minus one, or minus two – if I did something that worked for me, I just want to write it down and then just go back to that and then do the same things again and again. So that has been helping me. So, hopefully, I can continue this and go on to achieve a lot more.””People used to tell me that I was a little healthy. I was like, ‘But I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter?'”•PTI Vyshak’s cricket perspective comes from a desire to make up for lost time. In 2017-18, weighing 110kg, he admitted feeling lost, and often faced criticism for his weight.”People used to tell me that I was a little healthy [heavy]. I was like, ‘but I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter’. It’s a funny story about how I really decided to transform. There’s this tradition of giving birthday bumps, and because I was too heavy, my friends just dropped me once. The next morning, I woke up thinking, ‘why am I like this? What am I doing?’ That is when I started my journey.”The fitness impetus was around the time Vyshak switched to fast bowling in his Under-19 days. Earlier, he was a top-order batter and captained Karnataka’s Under-16 team. He’s grateful for the guidance from former Karnataka batter Sudhindra Shinde and former India seamer Abhimanyu Mithun.”He [Shinde] has seen me as a young kid – as a fat kid,” Vyshak said. “He has really been supportive about my bowling, my mental strength, and my batting. So, if I’m feeling low, if I’m feeling anything, no matter what, I make sure that I talk to him because that is my comfort. We have a rapport that I can’t express in words. But every time I’m low, I call him, and by the end of the call, he will make sure I’m in a happy space.”During my Under-19s, he suggested to me to go to Bharat Arun sir. So when I was probably 20-21, my action was all over [the place]. He [Shinde] also helped me financially. He took care of my sessions in Chennai, [and] my stay – he helped me massively. In the last couple of years, I have worked with Mithun. He has helped me a lot with my run-up and my variations.”

“You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot”

Does Vyshak feel different today than when he started in the IPL two years ago with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)?”When I started off, I didn’t know what this platform was,” he said. “My emotions were so high. When I did well, I used to feel so good, and when I didn’t, I used to like just dip down.”And then, last couple of years, with [Mohammed] Siraj being there, I think he emphasised on being neutral. Whatever happens – whether you’re playing or not playing, winning or not winning – you have to be constant. That’s the biggest lesson for me. Matches come thick and fast – if you keep brooding over what has gone wrong, you’ll keep sinking further.”You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot. I can pretty much say I am a better bowler compared to what I was when I played the first game for RCB.”