All posts by h716a5.icu

Tim David was not playing for RCB and neither was Yuzvendra Chahal for PBKS

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-20259:02

Moody: ‘Two in-form teams, we’re in for an absolute cracker’

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) welcomed back captain Rajat Patidar to full fitness, and Josh Hazlewood back into the XI. Patidar came out for the toss after playing the last two matches as non-captain, won the toss immediately, and opted to bowl. RCB were also the away team in Qualifier 1. They won all their seven away games in the league stage. However, they were still without Tim David, who seemed to have injured his hamstring during their penultimate league match.Punjab Kings (PBKS) were still without Yuzvendra Chahal, and they also lost Marco Jansen to the South Africa Test side. Azmatullah Omarzai came in for him. New Chandigarh was PBKS’ home ground during the league stage, but they didn’t have a great record at home. They won two, lost two, and their captain Shreyas Iyer scored just 25 runs in those four matches.This was RCB’s first top-two finish since 2016. PBKS made the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Both sides were looking for their maiden title. The team losing this match was guaranteed a second shot at making the final. Both sides finished the league stage on the same number of points, with PBKS leading on net run rate.Punjab Kings 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt.), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Azmatullah Omarzai, 9 Harpreet Brar, 10 Kyle Jamieson, 11 Arshdeep Singh
Impact Sub options Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier BartlettRoyal Challengers Bengaluru 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Rajat Patidar (capt.), 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Yash Dayal, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Suyash Sharma
Impact Sub options Mayank Agarwal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh

Real Madrid are winning on the pitch, but tension is brewing behind the scenes. According to The Athletic, several senior players are struggling with Xabi Alonso’s rigid approach and distant style, with some insiders claiming he "thinks he’s Pep Guardiola". Frustration is growing over the manager’s strict rules and intense methods, despite two big wins recently over Barcelona and Juventus.

Alonso shakes things up

Alonso arrived in June and made one thing clear: nothing at the Santiago Bernabeu would be the same as under Carlo Ancelotti. Old habits? Gone. It’s more than just extra gym sessions. Only essential staff are allowed on the training ground. Dressing room access before matches or at half-time is limited. Line-ups are no longer leaked. Even players’ entourages now face restrictions. The idea is focus and privacy. You can tell some players aren’t used to that. And yet, on the pitch, results are positive. But football isn’t just about results. It’s about personalities, habits, and comfort levels. That part is clear. Some players are adjusting. Others, less so. 

AdvertisementGetty Images'He think's he's Pep Guardiola'

Frustration is continuing to build behind the scenes. Some players feel their freedom on the pitch is curtailed. Some think Alonso is distant. An inside source close to the Madrid dressing room has opened up on the struggles Alonso is currently facing. Speaking to the Athletic, the source said: "Some of them have won so much without doing these things that when these have been imposed on them, they have complained. He thinks he’s Pep Guardiola, but for now he’s just Xabi." 

That line reportedly keeps coming up in conversations around the squad. Not entirely flattering. Part admiration, part scepticism. Vinicius Junior’s storm-off after being substituted against Barcelona highlighted the tension, but it appears the problems may be deeper than that.

Some feel Alonso is "unapproachable". Comparisons to Ancelotti’s open, warm style only make the gap feel bigger. Specialists in training, stricter rules, restricted access, changes all designed to improve focus. And yet, it changes the atmosphere. The squad is responding with improved levels on the pitch, but they are not all happy about it.

Early successes, but growing pains

Still, the approach is working, at least in part. Madrid top La Liga. Champions League form is solid. Young players are getting chances: Arda Guler, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Franco Mastantuono. Rotations keep the squad involved. Alonso’s staff – assistant Sebastian Parrilla, physical trainer Ismael Camenforte, analysts Alberto Encinas and Benat Labaien – are implementing a plan that clearly takes time and patience.

"They are aware that they are immersed in a process that requires patience for the team to function as they have planned," the source continued. Some players are adapting well. Others are grumbling. Alonso seems willing to stick to his principles of discipline. The tension is a side effect, not a dealbreaker, at least for now.

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AFPLooking ahead at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid are always under scrutiny. Every move is magnified by the media and Alonso’s balance of authority will be crucial to deciding his future. Senior players’ dissatisfaction is something to watch, and certainly something to manage, if the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man wants to keep his job. Los Blancos will look to keep building momentum despite the unrest behind the scenes when they host Valencia in La Liga on Saturday.

Newcastle United officially confirmed the appointment of Ross Wilson as their new sporting director earlier this week after they triggered his release clause at Nottingham Forest.

The former Rangers transfer supremo will now get to work with the Magpies to shape the plans for the upcoming January transfer window and beyond.

As Keith Downie’s post above outlines, Wilson will be responsible for recruitment across all levels of the club, which means that some players may be under threat if they do not improve their performances.

One Newcastle player who may need to step up his performances to avoid being moved on by the new sporting director is winger Harvey Barnes.

Why Harvey Barnes needs to improve his Newcastle performances

The Magpies paid £38m to sign the English forward from Leicester City in the summer of 2023, and the 27-year-old winger has failed to deliver consistent performances to live up to that price tag.

Barnes has scored 15 goals and provided 19 assists in 75 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle, which has left his Transfermarkt value at £30m. That is £8m less than the club paid for him two years ago.

His form in the Premier League this season has been particularly disappointing. Per Sofascore, the Englishman has scored no goals, created two ‘big chances’, and assisted no goals in seven appearances in the top-flight.

This is why the former Leicester star needs to step up in the coming weeks, because Wilson may look at his declining value and underwhelming output in front of goal and look to move him on in January.

Another Newcastle player who already looks on borrowed time under the new sporting director is Joe Willock, who has been even worse than Barnes this season.

Why Joe Willock is on borrowed time at Newcastle

The English central midfielder’s time at St. James’ Park under Eddie Howe may be up in the January transfer window, as he does not appear to be a frontline option for the manager.

Willock has been an unused substitute on six occasions in all competitions this season, per Sofascore, and has been an unused substitute in the last four matches in a row.

This suggests that the former Arsenal starlet has not done enough to get regular minutes in the middle of the park, as Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Lewis Miley have all played ahead of him, with Jacob Ramsey also due to return from injury.

Appearances

7

2

Starts

3

1

Unused substitute

0x

4x

Goals

0

0

Big chances created

2

0

Key passes per game

0.6

0.0

Assists

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Willock has offered less than Barnes has to the team in the Premier League this season, with zero goals, key passes, ‘big chances’ created, or assists in his two outings in the division.

The experienced flop, who was described as “disappointing” by journalist Chris Waugh last year, also ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of no goals and two assists in 31 appearances for the Magpies.

This shows that Willock has fallen short of offering much in the way of quality from a central midfield position for more than a year, now, which is why his time at the club might be coming to an end.

If the 26-year-old dud continues to find himself on the sidelines, being an unused substitute, Wilson may have a decision to take on his future when the January transfer window opens, as a move away from Tyneside could be the best option for all parties at that point.

Anderson re-signs; £75m PL star joins: Ross Wilson's dream XI at Newcastle

Newcastle continue their hierarchal re-structure with the appointment of a new technical director.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 11, 2025

PBKS captain says the job is half done after finishing runners-up in IPL 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-20252:06

Aaron: Iyer ‘one of the best captains in the IPL’

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer praised the “fearless nature” of the youngsters in his side during their run to the IPL 2025 final, which they lost by six runs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.”I am very proud of each and every individual who has participated in the team,” Iyer said on the broadcast after PBKS finished runners-up in his first season as their captain. “And a lot of youngsters who have played their first season and the fearless nature that they showed, it was simply phenomenal. I keep on saying the same thing again and again but hats off to every individual who has been here, who has contributed as support staff, management. I think without them, we wouldn’t have reached so far. So kudos to them. And also, you know, job is still half-done and we have to receive the trophy next year.”When asked about the positives from this season, in which they topped the league table with 19 points, Iyer said, “Definitely, the way we turned up to every game, every individual stepping up at the right time and saying that ‘I can win the match’. There are so many youngsters in the team. I think they have gained a lot of experience out of these matches. And I’m sure that next year when they come, they’ll be having immense experience with them. And with that, we can build the tactics and strategies around so that we can play some decent cricket.”Related

IPL 2025 showed the might of the uncapped Indian batter

Ponting expects 'daring, dynamic' PBKS to come back stronger

Virat Kohli: I've given this team my youth, my prime, my experience

Kohli and RCB are finally IPL champions

One of the stand-out aspects of PBKS’ run to the final was the performances of their uncapped players, such as openers < Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, middle-order batters Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera, left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar and fast bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak.After the defeat in the final, Iyer thought 200 was a par score, implying their target of 191 was gettable. He said Krunal Pandya's spell was "phenomenal" – the left-arm spinner took 2 for 17 in four overs, the wickets those of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis."Considering the game we played last against MI [where PBKS chased down 204], I personally felt that 200 was a par score," Iyer said. "But they bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal, the way he came in. He carries a lot of experience. He has done it over a period of time. And even today, the way he bowled, it was simply phenomenal. And I think that was the turning point."

The New York Red Bulls parted ways with coach Sandro Schwarz following a disappointing season, the club announced on Monday. The Red Bulls failed to make the postseason for the first time in 15 years after reaching the MLS Cup final in 2024. The club promoted former Canada star Julian de Guzman to head of sport.

New York Red BullsLeadership transition

The changes come in a leadership overhaul by the Red Bulls. In addition to Schwarz's exit, the club also announced Jochen Schneider, current head of sport, has decided to return to Europe and that de Guzman's promotion was part of a succession plan.

Schwarz's departure comes after a strong first season at the club. Although there were struggles at times last year, the club went on an incredible run to reach the playoffs. The Red Bulls upset the Columbus Crew, NYCFC and Orlando City SC – all higher seeds. After narrowly losing the MLS Cup to the LA Galaxy, the team was expected to contend this season. 

They brought in Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to solve long-term issues at striker. Despite the Cameroon international notching 17 goals and five assists in his inaugural MLS campaign, the team struggled to find consistency throughout the year. With their season hanging in the balance, Red Bulls head of global soccer Jurgen Klopp visited the team ahead of its derby match against NYCFC – which the Red Bulls lost 3-2.

"I would like to thank Sandro for the last two seasons, especially coaching this team during a memorable 2024 playoff run. His dedication to the job was outstanding, and I truly wish him nothing but the best in his future coaching endeavors," Schneider said in a statement. 

The club will now search for a new coach, with de Guzman expected to lead the process.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Perfect person to take the helm'

Schneider leaves the Red Bulls after spending three years with the club. He was instrumental in bringing in star additions Emil Forsberg and Choupo-Moting. He also played a role in prioritizing the youth movement at the club, with 12 academy players on the first team roster. 

Scheider served as a mentor to de Guzman, who has held the GM role for the Red Bulls II team since 2024. 

"It has been an incredible privilege and honor to lead this extraordinary organization and work alongside such talented individuals,” said Schneider. “Over the past few years, I've poured my heart into this club, and I am immensely proud of what we've accomplished together. Mentoring Julian has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my time here, and I have no doubt that he is the perfect person to take the helm and lead the Red Bulls into their next chapter.

"While I will deeply miss this club, my family must come first, and I need to be with them. That said, I will always remain close to Julian and the Red Bulls, and I look forward to seeing the team’s continued success.” 

New York Red Bulls President Marc de Grandpere thanked Schneider for his contributions. 

"We are deeply grateful for all that Jochen has brought to our organization during his time here,” said de Grandpré. “Jochen’s expertise and leadership were instrumental in assembling a team that has competed at the highest level. While we are saddened to see him depart, he will always be part of the family. We fully respect his decision and wish him and his family all the best in the days and months ahead."

Getty Images SportCanadian trailblazer

De Guzman's ascension from sporting director to head of sport continues his career as a trailblazer in Canadian soccer. He was the first player from the country to play in Spain's La Liga, with Deportivo. He also starred for Toronto FC in MLS. He had 89 caps for the Reds. 

He oversaw a Red Bulls II side that has reached the Eastern Conference final. He also founded Simcoe Rovers County FC, who compete in League 1 Ontario.

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Getty Images SportA name to keep an eye on?

Former New York Cosmos and Portland Timbers boss Gio Savarese could emerge as an option for the Red Bulls. The manager is said to be interested in the job, according to The Athletic.

Are Aston Villa starting to build some serious momentum?

Having failed to win any of their first six matches this season, scoring only two goals, the Villans have since won four on the spin, beating Bologna and Feyenoord in the Europa League, as well as Fulham and Burnley at Villa Park in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, chance creation remains a concern for Unai Emery, considering his team sit second-bottom of the Premier League when it comes to expected goals, above only Burnley, while only Fulham, Sunderland and Burnley have mustered fewer shots on target.

Back in January, the Claret and Blue Army addressed this by signing both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan; the Spaniard scored eight goals and registered one assist, while the England international netted four times and notched six assists.

However, both moved on to pastures new over the summer, so who could be this season’s Asensio, and why will he help unlock Villa’s primary star attacker?

Ollie Watkins' struggles for confidence

As the graphic documents, ever since he arrived from Brentford, Ollie Watkins has been a reliable goalscorer in a claret and blue shirt.

However, this season, the England international is seemingly struggling for confidence, seeing a very tame penalty saved by Bologna’s Łukasz Skorupski, before, to great relief, getting off the mark three days later against Fulham.

Nevertheless, when compared to last season, pretty much all of his statistics are down, as the table below outlines.

Goals

0.6

0.2

Shots

2.4

1.3

Shots on target

1.4

0.5

Shooting accuracy

59.7%

37.5%

Chances Created

0.9

0.7

Duels Contested

10

8.6

Touches

27.1

25.3

Touches in the box

6.3

4.5

As documented, every available metric for Watkins this season has plateaued, with the decrease in his shooting statistics the most stark drop off.

Of course, seven matches into the Premier League season, it is only a small sample size, while the fact Watkins’ touches as well as touches in the opposition penalty area have both decreased suggests that it is as much a service issue as a Watkins problem.

Last season, Watkins and the aforementioned Asensio formed an effective partnership, the former setting up the latter to score his second goal against Cardiff City in an FA Cup tie in February, but who is most likely candidate to break into the Villa team now and add that much-needed creativity?

Aston Villa's forgotten summer signing

After a summer of very little activity, restricted by Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules, Aston Villa were certainly busy on deadline day.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Victor Lindelöf arrived as a free agent, Harvey Elliott joined from Liverpool, on loan with a £35m option to buy, so the move many missed was Jadon Sancho’s loan move, rescued from the Chelsea bomb squad at the 11th hour.

Still only 25 years old, it is now four years since the England international joined Manchester United for around £73m, and his career certainly has not panned out as hoped since.

Upon his arrival at Old Trafford, then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær praised his “tremendous pace, flair and creativity”, noting that he had “already achieved a great deal” for such a young player.

Well, after scoring only 12 goals in 83 appearances for the Red Devils, he has been loaned back to Borussia Dortmund and then Chelsea, spending last season at Stamford Bridge.

While he may not have been the world-beater he once was, Sancho was effective for the Blues, scoring five goals and accumulating ten assists across all competitions, including netting at Tottenham in the Premier League and then against Real Betis in the Conference League Final in Wrocław.

Given how little he has done since 2021, his most recent England cap coming against Andorra almost exactly four years ago, it is easy to forget just how exciting Sancho was when he first burst onto the scene at the Westfalenstadion.

Raj Chohan of BBC Sport praised his ‘incredibly mature decision-making’ in the final third, while Nick Wright of Sky Sports asserted that the ‘extraordinary talent’ was one of the very best young players in Europe.

During his best season in the Bundesliga, 2019/20, Sancho ranked third for goals, second for assists, first in terms of goals – xG, first for goal-creating actions, second for attempted take-ons and second when it came to carries into the final third.

Put succinctly, the Englishman was truly a phenomenon so, with Emery’s coaching, will Aston Villa get him back to that level?

Well, if they can, during that aforementioned 2019/20 Bundesliga season, Sancho created 19 big chances, thereby ranked behind only Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry.

For comparison, in the Premier League last season, the Villa players who created the most big chances were Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans, both reaching 16.

Thus, getting Sancho back to his exhilarating best could be exactly what this team needs to unlock talisman Watkins. Like Asensio – and Rashford – before him, he could be the club’s new loan success story and revive his floundering career.

​​​​​​​

Forget McGinn: Aston Villa's "jewel" looks like the modern day Gareth Barry

Man in the middle of the park is Aston Villa’s modern Gareth Barry, key to their revival

ByWill Miller Oct 5, 2025

After taking four wickets, he scored the winning run in the chase as Nepal won with one ball to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2025After an unprecedented three Super Overs were needed to decide the winner between Nepal and Netherlands on Monday, Nepal and Scotland threatened another Super-Over finish in Glasgow on Tuesday. It came down to Nepal needing four off six balls, with three wickets in hand. After picking off singles off the first three balls, Kiran Thagunna fell for 10 off 16 balls, leaving Nepal needing one off the last two balls. Sandeep Lamichhane, who had bagged figures of 4-1-11-4 earlier in the day, found a single to finish it off with one ball to spare.Having suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Netherlands, Nepal adjusted fairly well to the quick turnaround, skittling Scotland for 97 in 19.4 overs, their second-lowest T20I total at home. In 2018, in Edinburgh, they had been dismissed for 82 against Pakistan.Nepal suffered a collapse of their own during the small chase of 98, but eventually scraped home. It was legspinner Lamichhane who had set up the win with his four-wicket haul after experienced seamer Karan KC and Dipendra Singh Airee had made early inroads. Lamichhane picked up four of the last five Scotland wickets that fell. Scotland’s innings ended when Airee bowled Michael Leask for a run-a-ball 46 in the final over of their innings. Apart from Leask, captain Matthew Cross was the only Scotland batter to pass 10.In response, Nepal lost both Lokesh Bam and Anil Sah within the first four overs of the chase. What was 24 for 2 soon became 38 for 3 when captain Rohit Paudel was bowled by Safyaan Sharif for 7 off 14 balls. Kushal Bhurtel, though, briefly stabilised the chase, scoring 14 of the 31 runs Nepal made in the powerplay.Bhurtel moved to 30 off 35 balls before he was trapped lbw by Mark Watt in the 13th over. Airee and Basir Ahamad then departed soon after, causing jitters. When Rupesh Singh was dismissed for 4 off nine balls, Nepal needed another 10 off 12 deliveries. The requirement then came down to four off six balls. Despite Thagunna’s dismissal in the final over, Nepal got the job done, handing Scotland their first defeat in the tri-series.

Former German legends Dietmar Hamann and Oliver Kahn have criticised the inclusion of Said El Mala in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. Kahn argued that players should not be selected based on just two or three good performances, while Hamann felt that Nagelsmann should have waited until March next year to give El Mala his first opportunity with the national team.

El Mala's selection to the German national team

Germany sit joint top of their World Cup qualification group alongside Slovakia and are on the verge of securing automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament. Wins against Luxembourg and Slovakia in their upcoming fixtures would seal their place at the World Cup. Coach Nagelsmann’s latest squad announcement marked the return of key players Leroy Sane and Malick Thiaw, both of whom have been recalled after a lengthy absence. The big surprise in the squad was the inclusion of youngster El Mala, who has impressed with his recent club performances. 

Nagelsmann commented on the selection, saying he wants El Mala to express his carefree nature. The coach emphasised his preference for giving young players opportunities to represent the national team, stating: “Said should get the chance to show his carefreeness and easygoingness with us. We have an eye on our U21 players and always want to give them the chance to feature for the senior national team.”

AdvertisementGettyHamann's criticism

However, former German midfielder Hamann criticised the selection of El Mala, saying that Nagelsmann should have waited until spring as there is already too much hype surrounding the youngster. He said on : “For me, the nomination comes too early. I would have waited until spring; he could still have been nominated then. There's a lot of hype surrounding the lad right now anyway.

“You could have invited El Mala at any time if he continued playing like this. That's why it's too early for me.”

Hamann also felt that El Mala was fortunate, recalling that during his playing days, footballers with fewer than 50 Bundesliga appearances were not even considered for selection. He said: “In my day, the national coach wouldn't even look at players with fewer than 50 Bundesliga appearances. After 70 or 80 games, you might find yourself on his radar.”

El Mala's great start to the season

El Mala has earned widespread praise for his impressive performances this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist in nine games, despite starting only twice, helping Koln rise to seventh in the table. Operating as a right winger in Lukas Kwasniok’s 3-4-3 system, El Mala combines quick feet, sharp decision-making, and excellent vision to create constant danger in the final third. His pace and agility make him extremely difficult to defend against in one-on-one situations, while his ability to shift lanes quickly despite his height adds unpredictability. 

Additionally, his explosive acceleration makes him a key weapon in Koln’s high-pressing system. However, Koln sporting director Thomas Kessler looked to temper the growing hype around the youngster, saying: “His first appearances were very promising. However, it shouldn't be forgotten that the match against Dortmund at the weekend was only his second start in the Bundesliga. Expectations in Cologne can be immense.”

German and Bayern legend Kahn echoed Kessler’s sentiments, saying that players should not be selected for the national team based on just a few good performances. He remarked: “I'm not a big fan of bringing in the guys right away after they've played two or three good games."

He added: "But the coach also has a responsibility with such young players. And we all know: Julian Nagelsmann is very experimental. Sometimes even impulsive. Meaning: he observes a player who he'd like to see play, without considering the potential consequences. (…) Right now, the national team needs to focus on finding the team that you feel has a chance at the upcoming World Cup."

However, the former goalkeeper took a more lenient stance than Hamann, acknowledging that national team coaches often want to assess how players adapt and perform within the group. He explained: “On the other hand, you also have to understand that a national coach wants to see and feel the guys – how they perform in training and how they function in the group. Therefore, I can understand the nomination.”

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Getty Images SportGermany's world cup qualification challenge

Nagelsmann will hope that El Mala can make a positive impact when Germany face Luxembourg and Slovakia, helping the team secure automatic qualification for the World Cup and, in the process, justify his selection.

Whilst it’s often big-money transfers that steal the headlines, nothing beats success from the academy. Discovering the next Harry Kane is still just as important as it was finding the original. Even in football’s current climate, academies still have an invaluable part to play in producing the greatest players in the world.

Whether it’s in English football, Amsterdam or La Masia, the next generation of stars need a platform to start somewhere. Building one of the best academies can be just as crucial as having the largest budget if used right – have both and the possibilities can be endless.

The CIES Football Observatory has now identified football’s best academies based on three factors…

Players – how many players in 49 worldwide leagues they’ve trained for 3 years between their 15th and 21st birthdays Minutes – official game-time from those players in the last year Level – the level of clubs those players have played for

Five Premier League sides feature in the top 100 academies in the world, but none of them crack the top ten. Manchester City sit highest at 21st, Arsenal are ranked 48th, and Chelsea just about make the top 50. Meanwhile, Manchester United sit 56th and Liverpool sit 75th in a ranking that they should hope to improve.

105.1

Benfica (POR)

93

2,582

0.807

98.7

Barcelona (ESP)

76

2,773

0.875

98.3

River Plate (ARG)

97

2,305

0.805

97.6

Ajax (NED)

80

2,690

0.841

95

Boca Juniors (ARG)

86

2,516

0.808

83.4

Sporting CP (POR)

76

2,488

0.811

77.9

Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

77

2,532

0.732

77.0

Defensor SC (URU)

88

2,222

0.726

74.8

Real Madrid (ESP)

58

2,817

0.853

73.8

Velez Sarsfield (ARG)

70

2,406

0.805

10 Velez Sarsfield (Argentina)

One of three Argentine clubs in the top 10, Velez Sarsfield are not a well-known club but their academy has produced some undeniable gems. Both Nicolas Otamendi and Diego Simeone graduated from the Argentine club before enjoying fantastic careers in European football.

The former even became a Premier League winner at Manchester City and is now playing his football at Benfica in the latter years of his career. Nowadays, the likes of Dilan Godoy could be next in line to benefit, having been promoted from Sarsfield’s academy and enjoyed first-team football for the first time this season.

9 Real Madrid (Spain)

A less surprising name on the list, Real Madrid are ranked 9th in CIES’ list of the world’s best academies. It’s easy to assume that they’d be higher, given their place as arguably the world’s biggest team, but their focus has often been set on welcoming Galactico-esque signings such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.

Nonetheless, that’s not to say their academy hasn’t produced some impressive talent in recent years. The likes of Raul Asencio and Fran Garcia both came from Madrid’s academy and both now play their part in Xabi Alonso’s first-team squad.

8 Defensor SC (Uruguay)

Like Sarsfield, Defensor SC’s inclusion on this list will surprise many, but the Uruguay-based side have trained as many as 88 current professional players at the time CIES conducted their rankings.

They have been one of the most consistent breeding grounds for young talent in South America and have helped the likes of Maxi Gomez on their way. Given the influence that South America has on the transfer market these days, with Moises Caicedo and Murillo arriving before thriving in the Premier League, Defensor could be ones to watch.

7 Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)

Having trained 77 active players, Dinamo Zagreb find themselves higher than Real Madrid on this list. Having produced the likes of Luka Modric, however, that should come as little surprise.

It’s not just the veteran midfielder still representing the academy, either. Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol also graduated from the Croatian club and is now a Premier League winner. Now, questions will arrive as to who the next big product to come out of Zagreb will be. Whoever it is has quite the shoes to fill.

6 Sporting CP (Portugal)

The academy that made the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting CP discovered a gem and have used their academy ever since. These days, graduates such as Goncalo Inacio, Geny Catamo and Geovany Quenda are stealing the show in products that reflect the success of Ronaldo after the academy was named after one of football’s greatest-ever players.

Aside from the Real Madrid legend, one stat which really stamps home the impact of Sporting’s academy is the fact that 10 of their graduates played their part in Portugal’s Euro 2016 victory.

5 Boca Juniors (Argentina)

The second Argentine team in the top 10, Boca Juniors remain one of the biggest clubs in South America and their academy reflects that. Icons such as Carlos Tevez have come through what is known as ‘The Boca Factory’ and the likes of Alan Varela and Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur have followed suit in recent years.

The Boca Factory doesn’t look likely to cease production anytime soon, either, given Valentin Barco has emerged from the academy into European football in the last two years.

4 Ajax (Netherlands)

Who remembers Erik ten Hag’s 2018/19 Champions League side? It was built on the success of Ajax’s famous academy and would have been enough to make the late-great Johan Cruyff proud.

In a golden generation, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek all stole the spotlight and soon secured moves to some of Europe’s biggest clubs in Barcelona and Manchester United. Whilst those in Amsterdam are still seeking their next crop of generational talent, they have still made CIES’ top 10 football academies in the world.

3 River Plate (Argentina)

Argentina really is the place for young talent. Alongside Boca and Sarsfield, River Plate have been ranked inside CIES’ top 10 and sit as high as third. It’s no wonder, either. They’ve trained 97 active players and are responsible for blessing European football with talents Julian Alvarez and Real Madrid’s latest young gem Franco Mastantuno.

When it comes to attacking stars, there aren’t many more reliable clubs in world football than River Plate. Both Madrid clubs have benefitted from that and Man City could be next in line if Claudio Echeverri realises his increasingly-impressive potential.

2 Barcelona (Spain)

Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez – the list could go on. La Masia remains the most famous football academy in world football, even if CIES have deemed it second best. Just when they seemed down and out on Europe’s top table, the Spanish giants turned towards their academy to unearth some undeniable gems.

The odds that they would find the exact player to take Lionel Messi’s throne seemed impossible, but up stepped Yamal – a player who already looks destined to break records at just 18 years old.

1 Benfica (Portugal)

It takes a lot to beat La Masia and Barcelona on this list, but Benfica have done exactly that. Edging out their Spanish counterparts, Benfica trained as many as 93 players during CIES’ latest ranking and many of those stars are performing at the highest level.

Some of the best talents to benefit from their focus on young stars over the years include Paris Saint-Germain’s Joao Neves – now one of the best midfielders on the planet – and Man City’s Bernardo Silva many moons ago.

It’s an academy which has funded Benfica over the years thanks to big-money moves for Joao Felix as well as others and now one that they’ll hope to see result in Liga Portugal glory in years to come.

Both teams have been seen constantly approaching umpires for a ball change this series

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Jul-202512:42

Are the pitches spoiling the England vs India series?

The sight of both England and India players constantly walking to the umpires seeking ball change in both Leeds and Birmingham has been frustrating. That sentiment was expressed openly by both Ben Stokes and Rishabh Pant on the eve of the Lord’s Test with the England captain even questioning whether the ball gauge used was ideal to measure the Dukes ball.”Whenever we have touring teams visiting, there is an issue with the balls going soft and completely out of shape,” Stokes said ahead of the third Test at Lord’s. “I don’t even think the rings that we use are Dukes rings. It isn’t ideal. But you have to deal with it.”A gauge, which has two rings, is used by umpires to check the state of the ball. The ball needs to pass through one ring and not the other to be deemed still in shape. Anything else means the ball is out of shape and can be changed. However, bowling teams have often been left frustrated after umpires have disallowed their request for the ball to be changed, despite it going soft and losing its seam.Related

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Ben Stokes always takes us on a ride

On the second day of the Leeds Test, Pant threw the ball into the ground after the umpires refused to replace the ball, which he felt was out of shape. The ICC reprimanded Pant and sanctioned him with one demerit point for an offence he accepted.When told about the opinion expressed by Stokes today, Pant jokingly said that he would stick to the same ball gauge, but the rings could be “smaller”. But the Indian vice-captain pointed out it was “irritating” to keep encountering the Dukes going out of shape very quickly during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.”I feel it is a big problem because the ball is getting out of shape,” Pant said. “In this series, the ball is getting de-shaped (out of shape) too much. That is something I’ve never seen. It is definitely irritating for the players because every ball plays differently. When it becomes softer, sometimes it doesn’t do too much, but as soon as you change the ball it starts to do something. As a batsman, you keep on adjusting to that, but at the same time, it is not good for cricket overall.”Stokes expressed similar remarks. “If you feel the ball has gone out of shape, then you check it with the umpire. If it goes through the rings, it goes through the rings, and you crack on. Hopefully, eventually it goes that badly out of shape that you are able to change it. Every bowling team seems to struggle with it, and it seemed a big issue last week at Edgbaston. If it fits through we keep going, if it doesn’t we get a new one.”