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Morgan Rogers is set to join Chelsea in a British-record £117m from Aston Villa - and his arrival is set to have a knock-on effect for Xabi Alonso's Blues.The England international - who arrived for his medical on Monday after returning from the World Cup - had also been linked with Arsenal, but he is set to arrive in the west of London instead.Here, Sky Sports News reporters Kaveh Solhekol and James Savundra examine why Rogers is keen on the move and what the forward's imminent arrival could mean for the rest of the Chelsea squad.KS: Some people may be surprised that Rogers has decided to swap Aston Villa for Chelsea, but the player really did have his heart set on moving to Stamford Bridge and once the bid materialised, he accepted it straight away.Playing for Chelsea next season means he will not be playing in Europe. If he had stayed at Aston Villa, he would have been playing in the Champions League, but Chelsea are still a big club.They have big ambitions and under their new manager Alonso, they are very serious about challenging for the big trophies again.Rogers is obviously a fantastic player, we've all seen that, but he is also very physically imposing. There's been a feeling at Chelsea that one thing their side has been missing is some real physical presence and they've been trying to address that this summer. They've gone some way towards it by signing a player like Rogers.Stream the Premier League with no contractKS: I remember being at the game between Aston Villa and Chelsea last season and that was billed as being a game between Cole Palmer and Rogers - who was the better No 10? I think on the day, Aston Villa ended up winning that game and Rogers played really well.So you have to ask the question - will Chelsea be able to have both Rogers and Palmer in the same side? The two players know each other well. They were together at Manchester City and Palmer's famous 'cold' goal celebration was first invented by Rogers. It'll be up to Alonso to see how he can accommodate both those players in the same side.There are no indications that Chelsea want to sell Palmer, far from it. He's tied down to a very long contract and just before the end of the season, he gave a newspaper interview in which he said he was happy at Chelsea and was happy living in London.There have been reports seeming to suggest that he may want to move back to the north west, that one day he wants to play for Manchester United, but I think he would cost so much that there are not many clubs who would be able to buy Palmer if Chelsea wanted to sell him.KS: Enzo Fernandez has come out on a few occasions and made it clear that he fancies a move to Real Madrid, but we had some sort of clarity on that a couple of weeks ago when the LaLiga club released a statement saying that they were not involved in any negotiations.They had not made a move to sign Fernandez and if they did want to sign him, then they would do everything through the proper channels. Real Madrid have a very good relationship at the highest level with Chelsea, so I'm sure if they were interested in signing Fernandez, it would simply be a matter of picking up the phone.I think what Chelsea would tell them is every player has his price and Fernandez's price is £120m. If you want him, that is what it's going to take to buy him. But as of yet, Real Madrid have not made a move for him to our understanding.JS: Fernandez's position remains largely unchanged despite the arrival of Rogers. Alonso confirmed his intention to keep the Argentine at his unveiling last week and noted to Sky Sports News that he was looking forward to working with the midfielder.Having committed more than £100m to buy Fernandez in 2023, Chelsea would be looking to recoup at least a similar level of money to sanction a sale.Real Madrid have ruled themselves out of the running to signing Fernandez - for now - which leaves few viable suitors.The Argentine enjoyed success under Enzo Maresca, but is a move to Man City likely in a window in which City have spent £116m already on Elliot Anderson and given the tension between the clubs given the Maresca saga?JS: Alonso refused to give any clues last week when it came to his playing system. His main success as a manager at Bayer Leverkusen saw Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo dominate as wing-backs. If he adopts his preferred formation at Chelsea, Rogers is most likely to operate as a wide attacking midfielder.Given the struggles of Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens last season and the presence of Palmer, you would expect Rogers to be favoured on the left.There are real similarities between the positions picked up by Palmer, Rogers and to some extent Joao Pedro. Whilst the trio thrive in fluid positions rather than a strictly fixed structure, Alonso will need to lay out a clear framework with specific roles.JS: Chelsea are Club World Cup champions. They have not always been world class on the pitch during the BlueCo era but they have been world-class sellers.They have already ensured enough outgoings this summer to cover the £117m cost of Rogers. Chelsea raised around £130m from selling players like Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos and Tyrique George and the sizeable compensation from Man City for poaching Maresca certainly helped too.The likes of Reece James, Palmer and Joao Pedro are seen as untouchable assets, but other members of the first team squad will depart for sizeable fees - Garnacho, Nicolas Jackson and Trevoh Chalobah are likely to bring in another £100m if they go.Despite not being in Europe this season, Chelsea will still be subjected to UEFA's stricter financial rules. Last summer, Chelsea entered into a four year settlement agreement with UEFA for breaching regulations and they'll look to demonstrate progress in showcasing financial sustainability following this window.Chelsea brought in around £300m from player sales last summer and given the need to move on a number of defenders who are surplus to requirements and at least one striker, it could be another impressive summer of trading.KS: It's a long transfer window… but I'm not sure Arsenal would have been prepared to pay £117m for him.Perhaps you could argue that Chelsea need him more at the moment - Arsenal are the reigning champions and they are in the Champions League as well.A lot of these deals only happen when somebody puts their money where their mouth is. We can talk about the fact that Arsenal were potentially interested in Rogers, but it's Chelsea who made a bid and that has been accepted by Aston Villa.

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The biggest individual prize in football has many variables. Often the Ballon d'Or race is dictated by those players who have spearheaded their club sides, or national teams, to trophies.Ousmane Dembele got his hands on last year's prize after leading PSG to their first Champions League title.This year is different, though. The World Cup holds influence and power unlike any club competition is able to. It sways opinion with a greater degree of certainty. And this, a World Cup of superstars, served up plenty of compelling cases.So, who put their best feet forward and whose argument was damaged over the course of a long, hot summer for most of the world's best?Harry Kane lifted more silverware at club level this year, his 61 goals in 51 outings proving unstoppable as Bayern Munich romped to a domestic double. Such form had England fans dizzy with hope and expectation.But as England's bid tapered off earlier than pre-tournament possibilities suggested, so too did Kane's ability to rise above in the crucial moments. Of course England's failure to pick off a beatable Argentina team was not solely Kane's fault. Thomas Tuchel hardly helped his captain's cause.But the 32-year-old's individual performance dropped in England's final two outings, eclipsed by a rousing Jude Bellingham. Kane ended the tournament with six goals but could not steer his side to the final. That is the only reward he believes really matters in the end.Given Kane's career-best club pursuits, this summer is perhaps best categorised by disappointment over the No 9's world-class talent, left without a World Cup final stage to showcase it. Nevertheless, he remains among the favourites for the second-best scoring season by any player since the turn of the millennium (73 goals).Barcelona's teen sensation is another frontrunner. Lamine Yamal became the first player to have played in both a Euros final and a World Cup showpiece before the age of 20 on Sunday. He won both.His influence this summer was more understated than pre-tournament hype suggested, just one goal, but he still made a considerable contribution. Twelve straight major tournament wins in succession.The penalty he won against France in the semi-final was game-changing. His unique manipulation of the ball in the final tournament-defining. As England found out the hard way, breaking lines against Argentina's tough tacklers is not easy. He was the one who made it possible for Spain, finishing the tournament with more successful take-ons than Lionel Messi.Delivering 28 goal involvements as Barcelona won LaLiga will do his chances no harm, either. If not this year, his time will come soon enough.Messi is the most successful player in Ballon d'Or history after claiming the prize a remarkable seven times. His performances this summer put him in line for an extraordinary eighth.Despite being beaten to the Golden Boot by Kylian Mbappe - rather farcically, given two of the Frenchman's goals were scored in a dead rubber third-place play-off - Messi moved and mesmerised as if in his peak 20s in a summer when celebrated his 39th birthday.In terms of numbers, his World Cup has been an exceptional triumph. His hat-trick in Argentina's opening game against Algeria set the tone. He scored in the next four games, too, before playing a fundamental part in England's semi-final fall.Only four of the past 19 Ballon d'Or wins have gone to a player who did not claim a Champions League, World Cup, Euros or Copa America title in the same year. Three of those were Messi. Perhaps one last celebration of his greatness is the best way to indulge all that he has offered the beautiful game. A peerless pioneer.Kylian Mbappe is the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice. The France captain deserves huge credit for that, and should of course be celebrated for becoming the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, too.But, often, individuality without silverware is not what draws the top prize. As Mbappe himself acknowledged: "I would have preferred not to be the top scorer and to have played in the final". Those kinds of records only really look good alongside a winner's medal to validate the contribution.Given Real Madrid also endured a trophylesss campaign, Mbappe's wait for a Ballon d'Or might yet go on. His elite scoring ability will no doubt ensure he stays in contention for many years to come, though.2024's Ballon d'Or winner, a non-runner before this summer, has suddenly emerged as a contender. With sound reason.Rodri's club campaign may have been stop-start because of needing to manage minutes after the ACL injury that ruled him out of the majority of the season prior, but he has risen to prominence once again for Spain over the past six weeks. He is the immoveable object.Only four different men's players have won the World Cup, Euros, Champions League and Ballon d'Or. He is one of them; drawing comparisons with Spain greats for his controlling influence. A tournament defined by Spain's supreme authority.Rodri made 122 line-breaking passes in his eight appearances, the most since Xabi Alonso in 2010, on his way to winning the Golden Ball. Numbers even Xavi and Andres Iniesta would be proud of.The 70th edition of the prestigious award ceremony will take place on October 26, in London. 2025's top winners include Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Ousmane Dembele of PSG.

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It was announced in January that the former England player and manager had been diagnosed with stage four cancer, with his family revealing he was set to begin treatment."It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75," a statement from Keegan's family read."The former England player and manager had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments."Kevin, a double Ballon D'or winner, was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin's incredible medical team for all their support. This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy."Keegan was considered one of the best players of his generation and enjoyed a stellar playing career, making almost 750 club appearances, lifting the First Division trophy three times with Liverpool and winning the Ballon d'Or back-to-back in 1978 and 1979 while playing for Hamburg in the Bundesliga.Seven years after his retirement, he took his first coaching role as manager of a struggling Newcastle team in February 1992. The Magpies were in danger of being relegated to Division Two but Keegan kept them up and then led them to the Premier League in his first full season in charge. Then, in 1996, he took Newcastle to within touching distance of their first top-tier title since 1927.Newcastle were Premier League title favourites for most of that 1995/96 season, at one stage being 12 points clear of Manchester United. But a dramatic collapse from Keegan's side coupled with a Sir Alex Ferguson-inspired Man Utd winning 13 of their last 15, eventually saw Newcastle finish second by four points.Late defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the run-in saw United eventually haul them in. As the pressure mounted on a beleaguered Keegan, who was desperate to deliver the title to a passionate Newcastle fanbase, his infamous "I'd love it.." post-match interview after victory at Leeds, aimed at Sir Alex, among others, unfortunately characterised his time at St James' Park.He would go on to manage England, for whom he had scored 21 goals in 63 games as a player, between February 1999 and October 2000 - resigning minutes after a 1-0 defeat to Germany in the last game played at the old Wembley Stadium.His time as national boss also saw England fail to get out of the group stage at Euro 2000, despite a 1-0 win over Germany, as defeats by Portugal and Romania piled on the pressure even before that defeat at the hands of Dietmar Hamann's free-kick four months later in the first qualifier for the 2002 World Cup.A spell at Manchester City followed, which included promotion to the Premier League in 2002 as Division One champions, but Keegan left the club in March 2005, initially announcing his retirement from football.Keegan made an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008, but only lasted eight months following tensions with the board and owner Mike Ashley."We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply-loved figures in our club's history."Kevin was more than a legendary footballer and manager. He was the beating heart of Newcastle United for generations of supporters."As a player, he brought world-class talent, ambition and belief to St. James' Park, helping to transform perceptions of what Newcastle United could be."As a manager, he ignited our city. Kevin gave supporters hope and pride, and led a team whose style, spirit and passion captured the imagination of football fans around the world. He was so much more than an Entertainer."Above all that, Kevin forged an extraordinary bond with Newcastle, built on the roots of his father, Joe. He understood our people. He embraced the North East with a passion that was genuine and unwavering, and in return, he earned his rightful place in the hearts of millions."Kevin's impact will not be measured by appearances or results. It will live on in the memories he created with club and country, the dreams he inspired wherever he went, and the generations of supporters around the world who fell in love with football because of him."At this profoundly sad time, we send our love and deepest sympathy to Kevin's wife Jean, his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him."Today, we mourn the loss of a true giant of our history, and at the appropriate moment, we will carefully consider how we shape a lasting tribute to Kevin's remarkable life and legacy. Rest in Peace, King Kev."Southampton FC: "We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan. Kevin signed for the club in 1980 as the holder of the Ballon d'Or and brought great joy to fans at The Dell and across the football world. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

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On Monday, Rogers returned from the United States, having featured for England at the World Cup, to undergo a medical in London and sign a six-year contract with an option for a further year.It had been widely expected that Rogers, who was Villa's most prized asset, would be available only for an English transfer record fee, but many expected Arsenal to be the frontrunners.However, Chelsea had been tracking Rogers for more than two years and had quietly made him their top attacking target. They moved quickly after England's semi-final defeat by Argentina out of his desire to focus on the World Cup.On Thursday, after the 2-1 loss, a combined effort involving the club's sporting directors, head coach Xabi Alonso and co-owner Behdad Eghbali helped secure a deal. Even Chelsea captain Reece James was making the club's case from within the England camp, while those close to the negotiations say Cole Palmer was also aware of developments as, in Rogers' words, "one of my best friends in life".It was a well-planned operation involving figures across the club and resulted in Rogers being signed in under 48 hours.The deal was underpinned by the strong relationship between Chelsea co-owner Eghbali and Aston Villa owner Nassef Sawiris, with the agreement being finalised on Saturday afternoon, shortly before Rogers took to the field in England's bronze-medal victory over France.After the deal was agreed, Arsenal were offered the chance to match the bid but they informed Villa they were committed to their lower valuation and were willing to let him join Chelsea on those terms.They will now consider alternative targets, including Paris St-Germain's Bradley Barcola and Bournemouth's Junior Kroupi.Although Chelsea had tracked Rogers for more than two years, the clubs had previously discussed a potential deal during the 'Profit and Sustainability swaps' of 2024.One option explored was Nicolas Jackson reuniting with his former Villarreal manager Unai Emery, before Ian Maatsen moved to Villa Park and Omari Kellyman joined Chelsea.Yet Chelsea's move also represents a recalibration of their transfer tactics.In April and his last interview, Eghbali accepted Chelsea needed "to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take (it) to the next level, to be consistent over time," adding: "You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes."Palmer first performed his 'cold' celebration in December 2023 after scoring two goals in a 3-2 win at Luton.He has since taken ownership of the celebration, literally, registering a trademark for it with the UK Intellectual Property Office after scoring two goals against Luton.However, it was first meant as a tribute to Rogers as he performed the celebration after a goal for Middlesbrough against West Brom.It was after moving from his local club West Brom to Manchester City that Rogers first struck up a friendship with Palmer. Both were 16 and soon starred in attack for City's FA Youth Cup-winning under-18 side in 2020.Joining Chelsea should ease Rogers' transition. He already knows Levi Colwill and Reece James through the England set-up, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap all came through City's academy system.That English contingent forms a substantial part of the club's leadership group, alongside Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.There is, however, the more important issue of football and where Rogers fits into the team, especially given Palmer is a similar type of player.Rogers was among the players selected by England manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of Palmer for this summer's World Cup, but their versatility means they can play either together or in each other's position.One source suggests Rogers will primarily play on the left, with Palmer operating centrally as a number 10. That would leave Estevao Willian, Pedro Neto and new signing Geovany Quenda competing for places on the right and Jamie Gittens as his understudy.Chelsea are likely to use a back four at times next season, but they are also exploring a back-three system, which Alonso used to devastating effect when winning the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024.That could allow Palmer and Rogers to play together as dual number 10s, while wingers would be asked to operate in deeper wing-back roles. The Spaniard is considering several tactical options before the start of the season.Chelsea had a number of problems last season, one of which was a five-game goalless run under former head coach Liam Rosenior, which led to his sacking.Rogers contributed 14 goals and 12 assists in 55 appearances last season and would add further firepower.Looking at the wider squad, and assuming winger Alejandro Garnacho is sold as planned, Chelsea would currently have six attackers competing for three forward positions in a season without European football. In addition, they have five senior strikers - Joao Pedro, Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Emmanuel Emegha and Marc Guiu - on the books.It is clear that the squad needs trimming after last season's 10th-place finish, particularly given Chelsea can play a maximum of 51 matches if they reach both domestic cup finals.It's not just about keeping players happy - Chelsea must also sell players to keep the books balanced.The £117m fee represents a substantial outlay on top of the £47m spent to sign full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, as well as the potential arrivals of defenders Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano and Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.In addition, midfielder Valentin Barco is expected to join from Strasbourg, though Chelsea have yet to confirm the deal.It took a league-record £300m in player sales last season for Chelsea to comply with the Premier League's financial rules, which are due to move from a Financial Fair Play-based system to a squad cost ratio model this summer.Uefa, however, represents the biggest obstacle to Chelsea's continued spending after fining the club £26.7m for breaching its rules last summer, while Villa were also fined and are under the same scrutiny, which led to Rogers' sale.Chelsea were again found to have breached European football's governing body's regulations this summer, but the financial picture improved significantly, resulting in a fine of just £2.6m. Most of that amount will be waived if the club continues to improve its finances.With five new signings expected this summer, Chelsea will want to sell or loan out at least a dozen players from the 37 senior options on their books, and for as much money as possible, to keep their accounts healthy.They have already sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid, Andrey Santos to Manchester United, Tyrique George to Everton and Jimmy-Jay Morgan to West Bromwich Albion for a combined fee of more than £120m.Generating transfer income has become increasingly important for Chelsea, who lag behind their traditional big-six rivals in commercial and matchday revenue, while also falling behind in broadcast income after missing out on Champions League football in three of the past four seasons.Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Chelsea - what do you want to know?

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Close340Kevin Keegan scores twice as Liverpool defeat Newcastle United 3-0 in the 1974 FA Cup final.Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsFA CupFollow FA Cupclose panelYou are now following FA CupUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.FootballFollow Footballclose panelYou are now following FootballUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.LiverpoolFollow Liverpool

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Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75, seven weeks after he revealed he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.One of English football's most decorated players, Keegan enjoyed spells at Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton and Newcastle during an illustrious playing career.He later went on to manage Newcastle, Fulham, England and Manchester City.Keegan revealed he had stage four cancer in June, which is the most advanced stage of cancer and means the disease has spread to other parts of the body.

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Keegan revealed in June 2026 he had stage four cancerStarred for Liverpool, Hamburg, Newcastle and EnglandKevin Keegan, the former England and Newcastle manager who was twice European football of the year and a stalwart member of Liverpool’s serial First Division and European champions in the 1970s, has died aged 75.Keegan’s family revealed in January that he had cancer, and in June he revealed himself that it was stage four, the most advanced stage. “It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75,” read a family statement. “Kevin had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.“A double Ballon D’or winner, Kevin was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin’s incredible medical team for all their support. This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy.”Keegan started his career at Scunthorpe before being signed for Liverpool by Bill Shankly for just £33,000 in 1971, “King Kevin” going on to win the First Division title three times as well as the FA Cup, the Uefa Cup twice and the 1977 European Cup. Keegan is the only British player to have won two Ballons d’Or.The 5ft 8in combative “Mighty Mouse” was not, by his own admission, a natural talent but the son of a south Yorkshire miner trained hard, remained humble and never ducked a challenge, traits that endured him to the Kop. “I learned so much from Shanks. He used to say: ‘If I was a road-sweeper, my street would be the cleanest in the borough.’ I took that to heart,’ he said.Keegan was twice named European Footballer of the Year while at the German club Hamburg and returned to England to play for Southampton and Newcastle before retiring as a player in 1984. He won 63 England caps, scoring 21 goals, playing at the 1982 World Cup and was also later captain of the national team.Keegan was never one to hold back, his fiery temperament rarely far from the surface. He was memorably sent off for scrapping with Leeds’s Billy Bremner in the 1974 Charity Shield after boiling over and his volatile temperament and pugnacious intolerance of football’s machinations, real or perceived. “I don’t like people to deceive me and tell me lies,” he told the Guardian in 2018.He wrote newspaper columns, was one of the English game’s first players to have their own branded football boots, had a hit record (Head Over Heels in Love), and became an enduring star of the BBC’s Superstars. He was the public face of 70s aftershave Brut 33 with Henry Cooper. He became close friends with another of the game’s renegades, George Best. “I wanted so much to have his ability. His skill was unbelievable. I played against Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona. But I still say Besty was the best I played against,” he told Simon Hatterstone.Keegan retired from playing aged 33 and moved to Spain, where his two daughters grew up unaware he had been a footballer. “It was the best decision I made in my life,” he told the Guardian in 2011. “I was at the highest level and the only way was down. I call it the glass mountain – you can’t climb a glass mountain.”In 1992, Keegan made his first step into management at his former club Newcastle, guiding them into the Premier League and to within touching distance of the 1995-96 title only to miss out to Manchester United. His finger-jabbing “I will love it” rant when Alex Ferguson’s mind-games to get the better of him has become part of the English game’s lore.After leaving St James’ Park in January 1997, a brief stint at Fulham followed before he became England manager in 1999, having initially taken on the job following Glenn Hoddle’s departure. Amid a disappointing Euro 2000 campaign, Keegan resigned on the back of defeat by Germany at Wembley Stadium, after just 20 months and 18 games, winning only seven of them – the worst win ratio of any England manager.A spell at Manchester City followed, but Keegan left the club in March 2005, initially announcing his retirement from football, only to make an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008. That second spell lasted eight months following tensions with the board and owner Mike Ashley. In 2009 a tribunal awarded Keegan £2m damages for constructive dismissal.He was made an OBE in 1982 for services to football, but Keegan’s unreconstructed opinions could offend. In 2023, his questioning the suitability of former England women’s internationals commenting on incidents in men’s international matches landed him in hot water. At a public event in Bristol, he told the audience: “I don’t like to listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that.”

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Squad arrived home at 2.30pm local time on MondayVictory festivities to centre around the Plaza de CibelesLa Roja, who beat Argentina 1-0 in the final in New Jersey on Sunday night, were afforded the first of many heroes’ welcomes when they touched down at Madrid’s Barajas airport at 2.30pm local time on Monday.Spain’s captain, Rodri, waved the trophy aloft as he emerged from the plane, his medal from the previous night around his neck. The team posed for a photo before heading into terminal four where hundreds of delighted fans, many in Spain strips and carrying the country’s red-and-yellow rojigualda flag, waited and hoped for a glimpse of the freshly minted champions.The team’s first official stop is the Zarzuela palace, northwest of Madrid, where the players and staff will be received by King Felipe and Queen Letizia at about 4.30pm. After that, they are due to head to the Moncloa palace – the office and residence of the prime minister – for a meet-and greet with Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, at around 6pm.The victory parade will then kick off in earnest, with the team travelling into town by bus from Moncloa. The focus of the festivities, which will feature music and are expected to draw massive crowds, will be the Plaza de Cibeles just outside Madrid city hall.Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez Almeida, told Radio Nacional de España that the capital was working to give the team the homecoming they deserved. He also hailed the peaceful and joyous scenes that had greeted Spain’s victory.“Even though there were thousands and thousands of people on the streets last night, there were practically no incidents in the city,” he said.“We’re getting everything ready for tonight and the musical events should start at Cibeles from about 6pm, with the parade scheduled to start at 7pm – but all this is depends on various factors … The thing we’re focusing on is how to celebrate and greet a team that will live for ever in our memory.”The victory – Spain’s second men’s World Cup win after their triumph against the Netherlands in South Africa in 2010 – was seen by hundreds of thousand of Spaniards who followed the match in bars, parks, fairgrounds, bullrings, and on giant screens in the centre of Madrid. The Spanish press have hailed it as “a unique collective experience” made possible by a young team that reflects all that is best about a modern, diverse and determined country.The win has also been enthusiastically hailed by the country’s political class.“WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!” Sánchez wrote in a social media post. “What an amazing national squad. Thank you, team.”Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain’s conservative People’s party, was equally free with the capital letters. “Well-deserved WORLD CHAMPIONS! Values, hard work, humility, and faith. You have made history. There are no limits for this team … Long live Spain!!!” he wrote on X.Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party, also offered his congratulations to the team for carrying “the flag of Spain so far and so high”.The Spanish postal service, Correos, has announced the creation of a special stamp to commemorate what it called “one of the greatest achievements in the history of Spanish sport”. The red-coloured stamp will bear the word CAMPEONES and feature two stars – one for each of Spain’s World Cup victories.

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BBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished45 minutes agoLiverpool have signed attacking midfielder Mao Itamura from Feyenoord.The 19-year-old becomes the fifth addition to Gareth Taylor's squad this summer and replaces Republic of Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan, who joined Gotham FC on an initial loan deal.Itamura was named the Women's Eredivisie player of the season in 2025-26, scoring eight times and assisting six goals for Feyenoord.She helped Feyenoord qualify for European football for the first time in their history and was part of the Japan Under-20s squad that won the Women's Asian Cup in April."It's a league and a club that was one of my goals [to join]. I'm happy to be here," said Itamura."When I started playing soccer, one of my goals was to become a professional footballer. When I reached that goal, I wanted to play for my favourite team."I'm really happy to have the opportunity to play in Liverpool, which is a big club."Itamura began her career in Japan with JFA Academy Fukushima before joining Feyenoord in January 2025.She will wear the number 26 shirt and follows the arrivals of Vivien Endemann, Sara Agrez, Mari Ward and Khiara Keating at Liverpool.Find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed

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Maybe Donald Trump was simply confused. He must have seen the ticker tape, a group of men cavorting around an American field clad in red and thought he’d stumbled into one of his Maga rallies. That is the only logical explanation for his bizarre behaviour on the champions’ plinth in (a stadium near) New York as Spain hoisted their freshly won trophy aloft, Trump having to be dragged off the stage by notorious wallflower Gianni Infantino as Rodri exhibited his trademark composure, patiently waiting to bask in his team’s glory moment. This is the way the Geopolitics World Cup ends, not with a bang but a desperate grab for attention from the US president. The GWC final had already witnessed its own on-field disgrace of course, in the shape of Argentina’s shameful performance. La Albiceleste tarnished their proud footballing history with a display completely devoid of ambition, pride and, well, quality. No shots in regulation time, no shots on target in the entire 120 minutes and Enzo Fernández sent off in ignominy. Even Lionel Messi embarrassed himself for snitching to Slavko Vincic, pleading with the referee to brandish a red card after Marc Cucurella dared to put his hand to his mouth. The full-time scenes were even more debasing for Argentina, losing their heads in such a manner it made their first-half roughhouse tactics in the semi-final against England look like child’s play. This is the way the Geopolitics World Cup ends, not with a bang but a thump from Leandro Paredes. Stay classy, lads. With no little hyperbole, Trump proudly proclaimed the GWC to have been “one of the greatest events of any kind ever held”. Does that sentiment hold muster? Well, it’s certainly been the biggest World Cup ever, with more teams, more matches, even more hosts than ever before. But of the 104 games (up from 64 in 2022), many have felt like a slog. UK readers, can you look Football Daily in the eye and truthfully say you stayed up until 3am to watch the conclusion of Ecuador 0-0 Curaçao? There has been plenty to enjoy, of course. Cape Verde were a genuine breath of fresh air, the only nation to play Spain and come away unscathed, while their near-miss in the last 32 against Argentina will be forever etched in World Cup folklore – oh what might have been but for Messi’s genius. We hope to see the Cape Verde lads back in 2030. Belgium’s late comeback to down Senegal was pure cinema, while England’s 6-4 win over France will live longer in the memory than a third-place playoff should simply for its pure weirdness.Speaking of the Three Lions, who will ever forget Mexico and the Battle of the Azteca? Not Dan Burn and certainly not us. FD also enjoyed Mauricio Pochettino’s swashbuckling USA USA USA side in this tournament before Trump’s attempted assist for Folarin Balogun backfired spectacularly and the co-hosts became co-toast. Ultimately, perhaps a tired final in which the better team were stifled by one that refused to play the game entirely was fitting of the tournament as a whole. It was both exhaustive and exhausting and, as a footballing public we have discovered there is such a thing as too much football. The fatigue is real. Thank god it’s all over …. Now, who fancies watching South Shields versus Harrogate in pre-season on Tuesday? Anyone?There’s no more live football for a little bit, so for now you’ll have to make do with the GWC farewell news blog.“I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap” – Wayne Rooney with a magnificently succinct live review of the GWC half-time show.double quotation markFootball 1-0 Sh!thousery. Thank god anti-football failed” – Paul Landaw.double quotation markCan you start a Stop Argentina campaign? – Gordon MacLeod.double quotation markWhen will the photograph of Donald Trump giving a baby Gianni Infantino a bath surface?” – Krishna Moorthy.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day goes to … Gordon MacLeod. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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Chelsea have completed the signing of Manchester United forward Melvine Malard on a £750,000 deal.The France international has signed a four-year deal with the Blues and she reunites with Sonia Bompastor, having worked with her at OL Lyonnes, winning the Champions League in 2022.Malard scored six times in the WSL and four times in the Champions League last season - and had just one year left on her contract at United.There was also interest from two clubs in the States and Europe for Malard, with two NWSL clubs putting in an offer for the forward."I'm so happy because I have a plan for my life and my career, and Chelsea were a part of that plan,' said Malard to Chelsea's official website."It is a great club and a big club so I am very excited to get started. I have played against Chelsea a lot of times and have always lost so I know the team have good players."And I have known Sonia since I was 14 years old, so it is great to work with her again."My objective is to become better every single day and to win trophies. I know Chelsea always have that as an objective and I have that ambition too."I am also really looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge on a regular basis. The atmosphere is incredible and the pitch is close to the fans, so you really feel their energy. I love that."

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Much of what Rodri does is indefinable – his great skill is simply being, existing in the right spacesYou don’t need to be long in the US before somebody, finding you’re here to cover “the Fifa” as so many Americans so demoralisingly call it, will tell you that the USA would obviously win it all the time if only their best athletes weren’t distracted by more local pursuits: American football, basketball, eating enormous sandwiches and the like. If you’re really lucky they’ll start shouting names at you with a detailed rundown of height, weight, sprint speed, what they can bench and other fascinating statistics.At which you wonder whether the 5ft 7in Lionel Messi has ever done a bench press. Rodri probably has, but he’s still nobody’s idea of a great athlete. He’s tall without being physically imposing. He’s not quick. He ambles about games being in the right place. Occasionally he leans into people or passes the ball 10 yards. It would be difficult to put together a highlights reel of his performance in the World Cup final that would convince a neophyte that he was the defining player – but he was, and was rightly named player of the tournament as well.This has been a World Cup in which individual stars shone. Kylian Mbappé topped the goalscoring charts, followed by Messi, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembélé. In the most heavily marketed World Cup ever, there were plenty of faces to market: “Look at this celebrity, scoring a goal!” But in the end the parade of goalscorers ended up marching in the shadow of the great controller.Mauricio Pochettino made the point last year that there were two problems with a US system that in effect forces a parent who wants their child to play soccer to pay thousands of dollars a year to belong to a club. The first is that it means huge swathes of the population are excluded for basic financial reasons. The second is less obvious but perhaps almost as insidious: parents at the end of the year will demand to see progress, to know what they’ve got for their money.The two most important attributes for an elite footballer – technical ability and tactical awareness – are extremely difficult to measure. And so coaches tend to tell parent that their charge has knocked a fraction off their sprint time, or is lifting 20 pounds more. That’s measurable; it satisfies the need to see a return on investment. The result is a focus on physicality rather than the nebulous but vital skills that define the best players, something reflected in how the US play. Carli Lloyd made a similar point, and a series of youth coaches I’ve spoken to over the past month have agreed.There is no American Rodri, and perhaps in the present system there cannot be one. But then there is no English Rodri, or French Rodri, or Argentinian Rodri, or German Rodri. Rodri is a very Spanish type. He comes from the line of Sergio Busquets, and the closest player to him in the modern game is Martín Zubimendi. In an environment in which football is becoming increasing physical, they have found a role for the cerebral.Much of what Rodri does is indefinable. He didn’t score a goal or register an assist at this World Cup. A pass completion rate of 93.2% is obviously very good, but it was only the 44th best in the tournament. Even if you filter out centre-backs, who play a lot of short simple, unpressured passes, Rodri is 18th. He ranked 22nd for tackles per game and 450th for interceptions. Even at fouling, at which, following in the proud Manchester City lineage of Fernandinho, Rodri is a master, has was only 97th. Although he completed a record 756 passes at this tournament, his great skill is simply being. By existing in the right spaces, Rodri lubricates and distributes and, by somehow combining that with a capacity to draw matter towards him, he discourages opponents from passing in his zone. He, as much as anyone, was the reason Lionel Messi was so little involved in the final.Yet as recently as the end of the domestic season – which admittedly doesn’t feel that recent after 104 World Cup games, but was only two months ago – there were doubts about whether Rodri would ever be quite the same again. It was only 10 weeks after being named player of the tournament at Euro 2024 that Rodri sustained the anterior crucial ligament injury that kept him out for the 2024-25 season. City’s decline in his absence told its own story.His return was not straightforward. He struggled during the Club World Cup, forced off during the defeat by Al-Hilal. He started only 17 league games last season. Pep Guardiola suggested that the best of Rodri wouldn’t be seen until the World Cup. That’s been a recurring theme; most of the best players at this tournament were those who had not slogged through 50+ high-intensity games last season.In that sense, Rodri’s is a great redemption story, a player returning after two very difficult seasons to add World Cup honours to his European award. But there’s also an undeniable irony that in a country that celebrates the individual like no other, in a World Cup that has relentlessly promoted celebrities, the defining player ends up being the most unflashy team-oriented candidate imaginable, the first non-creator to win the Golden Ball in 24 years.