شارك النجم المصري محمد صلاح في هزيمة جديدة لفريق ليفربول، مساء السبت، أمام خصمه تشيلسي، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26.

وحل ليفربول ضيفًا على تشيلسي، في الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج”.

وتعرض ليفربول لهزيمة ثانية تواليًا في الدوري الإنجليزي، وثالثة في مختلف المسابقات، بعدما سقط في الوقت القاتل أمام تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جاكبو يهدد مانشستر يونايتد بعد خسارة ليفربول القاتلة أمام تشيلسي

من جانبه، خاض محمد صلاح مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي بأكملها، حيث لعب كأساسي واستمر في الملعب حتى الدقيقة الأخيرة، ولكنه لم يقدم أدائه المتوقع.

وحصل محمد صلاح على تقييم بلغ 4/10 من شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية، حيث قالت: “كانت تمريرته العرضية نحو إيزاك ممتازة في آواخر الشوط الأول، لكن كان عليه أن يُحسن التعامل مع تمريرة فيرتز”.

واختتمت: “لقد أضاع محمد صلاح فرصًا كثيرة، يبدو أنه بعيد عن مستواه في الوقت الحالي، لقد أصبح مصدر قلق”.

They might not have looked great on Sunday, and we’re still unsure of the extent of Kai Havertz’s injury, but the Arsenal fanbase is still jubilant.

After believing the club had missed out on the incredibly talented Eberechi Eze to Tottenham Hotspur, the update that Arsenal had hijacked the deal on Wednesday has utterly transformed the mood around the club.

While it’s not 100% official just yet, the move has received the ‘here we go treatment’ and the Englishman is supposedly having his medical today.

It’s a potentially game-changing signing for the Gunners, and in even more good news, the club are now being linked with someone who could help Eze reach another level entirely at the Emirates.

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

Even before the Eze news broke, it would be fair to say that Arsenal were having a good window.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

On top of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, who look ready to transform the starting lineup, Andrea Berta and Co have also massively improved the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad with players like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

Yet, even with the Crystal Palace star to come, the North Londoners could be making another major signing this summer, one that could help the Englishman reach another level entirely.

At least that is according to a recent report from Graeme Bailey, who has claimed that Arsenal are still in the mix for Rodrygo.

Bailey has revealed that the Brazilian’s potential move to the Emirates this summer “still has some legs” and that should he continue not to get minutes this weekend, then his future is “really going to come into focus.”

A price is not mentioned in the report, and while some stories this summer have talked about a potential loan move, others have claimed that a fee of around £78m would be enough to tempt Real Madrid into selling.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Rodrygo would be more than worth the effort for Arsenal, especially as he could help Eze reach another level this season.

Why Rodrygo would be the perfect teammate for Eze

The first reason Rodrygo would be a dream teammate for Eze at Arsenal is down to his output.

Across the 23/24 and 24/25 campaigns, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, was able to rack up a sensational tally of 31 goals and 20 assists in just 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means the former Santos gem was averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes in that period, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing everywhere but his preferred position of left-wing.

Rodrygo’s recent record

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So, just imagine the numbers he’d be able to put up playing there in this Arsenal team, with Bukayo Saka on the other wing, Viktor Gyokeres down the middle and Eze behind him.

The Brazilian would be a huge goal threat and, in turn, help send the former Palace star’s assist tally to the moon.

On top of simply supercharging his numbers, the often “unstoppable” game-changer, as dubbed by Madrid columnist Kiyan Sobhani, would also be a key teammate in Europe.

For example, in his 64 Champions League appearances, totalling 3883 minutes, the Osasco-born ace has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out as a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.

Moreover, eight of his goals have been game-winning strikes, and another eight have come in the knockout rounds.

In other words, the Greenwich-born maestro would be able to rely on the Los Blancos star to step up in the most intense and pressureised moments, which should help him to play at his very best and achieve his goals of European glory.

Ultimately, from outrageous numbers to how well he copes in the biggest games, it’s clear that adding Rodrygo to this team would help Arteat and Co get even more out of Eze.

Therefore, even if it costs an arm and a leg, Arsenal should do all they can to add the Brazilian to the squad before the window slams shut next month.

Related As much potential as Eze: Arsenal chasing late move for £35m "game-changer"

The tremendously exciting youngster could be just what Arsenal need after signing Eze.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 22, 2025

Alongside the avalanche of major honours, Chelsea fans have been able to watch some genuinely incredible superstars play for their club over the last two decades.

The likes of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Eden Hazard are some of the best players to have ever graced the Premier League, and are unquestionably legends of the game.

Another, perhaps somewhat underrated, superstar who consistently dazzled the Stamford Bridge faithful during his time in West London was Cesc Fàbregas.

The former Arsenal gem was a key member of the Blues side that won two league titles in the mid-2010s and beat the Gunners in the 2019 Europa League final.

Therefore, fans should be excited about reports linking them to another midfield gem who could be their new Fabregas.

Chelsea target their new Fabregas

As they are every year, Chelsea have been busy in the market this summer, as on top of selling a host of players they don’t really need, the club have made several exciting additions to Enzo Maresca’s squad.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, while they didn’t look great on Sunday, the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens should make the side far more dangerous this season, and it feels like a matter of when, not if, Alejandro Garnacho joins them.

Yet, even with the Argentine set to join, the West Londoners look set to make more signings before the window slams shut and are eyeing a midfield talent who could be their new Fabregas.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed that Chelsea are very interested in Marc Casado.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues have now made an offer for the Barcelona gem, which could be worth up to €50m, which is about £43m.

Interestingly, the story claims that Hansi Flick does not want the 21-year-old to be sold, but that the Catalans need to raise funds, which is why they have not outright rejected the offer yet.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Casado’s ability and immense potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be Chelsea’s new Fabregas.

How Casado compares to Fabregas

It should go without saying that, at just 21 years old, Casado is not at the level Cesc was when he first joined Chelsea, but with time, he could certainly get there.

After all, there are several key similarities between the players and their moves.

For example, it would be another instance of the Blues going all out to sign an exciting Spanish midfielder from Barcelona.

Additionally, while the “spectacular” prospect, as dubbed by Sergio Busquets, does play that little bit deeper than Cesc did during his time at the Bridge, he is still a creative force from the middle of the park.

In 36 appearances for the Catalan outfit last season, he scored one goal and provided six assists, which comes out to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 5.14 games.

His underlying numbers are even more impressive and point to a player who could be a metronomic midfielder for the West Londoners.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the middle third, the top 6% for completed passes and touches, the top 7% for passes into the final third, the top 9% for goal-creating actions from live passes and more, all per 90.

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

2.01

Top 1%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

58.41

Top 2%

Passes Completed

68.11

Top 6%

Live-ball Passes

73.50

Top 6%

Touches

85.36

Top 6%

Pass Completion %

90.0%

Top 7%

Passes into Final Third

7.23

Top 7%

Total Passing Distance

1049.21

Top 8%

Tackles Won

1.88

Top 8%

Assists

0.21

Top 9%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.38

Top 9%

Tackles

3.05

Top 10%

Carries

46.04

Top 11%

In other words, the midfield “genius,” as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, can take the ball from deep and either control the pace of the game or kickstart an attack, just like the World Cup winner used to.

Finally, despite still being so young, the twice-capped international shows he isn’t one to be overawed by the big occasion, nor was he flustered by the task of helping Barcelona win a league title last season, which is just the sort of player Maresca would want in his side.

Ultimately, it might not be a cheap transfer to get over the line, but Casado looks like the real deal and could be Chelsea’s new Fabregas.

Garnacho upgrade: Chelsea in agent talks to sign "world-class" £43m star

The dangerous international would be a far better signing than Garnacho for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 21, 2025

Peter Schmeichel admits that Antony was “never good enough for Manchester United” but the Red Devils legend has questioned why Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were allowed to leave Old Trafford. The Scotland international midfielder and Danish striker are now team-mates again in Italy at Napoli after surprisingly being deemed surplus to requirements.

• Getty
  

  From outcast to MVP: Red Devils rue McTominay call

  Academy graduate McTominay was allowed to head for Naples in the summer of 2024. His first season away from Manchester saw the 28-year-old midfielder become a Serie A title winner and MVP – with United toiling their way to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League.

Advertisement

• Hojlund's record: Goals scored before departure

  A year on and Hojlund has joined McTominay at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with the 22-year-old forward loaned out by United in a deal that includes a purchase option. He registered 26 goals for the Red Devils through 95 appearances.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Winger exodus: Busy summer at Old Trafford

  In a busy window, wingers Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony also departed. United have continued to struggle for consistency under Ruben Amorim, with Schmeichel left puzzled by some of the recruitment calls being made.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Why? Schmeichel puzzled by Man Utd

  The iconic former goalkeeper told : “I’d say Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund are the two players who should never have left.

  “With Antony, it’s different. He was never good enough for Manchester United. Yes, he scored on his debut, but very quickly you could see he didn’t have what it takes for the Premier League. In Holland, playing in a dominant team, he looked good. But at United, the pace is relentless from the first minute to the last, the pressure is constant, and every opponent raises their game. To succeed here, you need something extra, and he didn’t have it. He’s moved on, and we wish him well.

  “The one that really pains me is Højlund. I honestly believe he could have been a 25-goal-a-season striker for Manchester United. The problem wasn’t him – it was the way the team played. The system didn’t suit him. When players like [Alejandro] Garnacho or [Marcus] Rashford got the ball, they looked only to shoot. The ball into the number nine never came, even though Rasmus was making really good runs.

  “The fans saw it. They loved him because he fought, he ran, he gave everything, and he had to play every game because there were no other strikers. Of course, when you don’t score as a striker, people point to it again and again. But what more could he do without service?

  “I’ve seen what he can do when he’s on form and gets the right service. That’s why I’m glad it’s only a loan. I hope he scores 25 goals, and that people at Old Trafford are then thinking: “We have to bring him back”. With [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo now providing service, and Bruno [Fernandes] playing further up the pitch, I still believe he could be a fantastic striker for Manchester United. He’s already scored after just 30 minutes for Napoli, which shows his quality. He’s still our player, and that’s the positive.

  “As for McTominay, I honestly can’t say anything other than: why? Why was he allowed to leave?"

Chelsea are making a serious statement this summer in terms of both incomings and outgoings, with BlueCo sealing some very impressive deals so far and more expected to follow before the transfer deadline on September 1.

Chelsea now pushing to seal £100m double signing with talks ongoing

They’re actively pursuing both men.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 5, 2025

To balance out their £277 million expenditure on transfers this summer, Chelsea are poised to bank well over £200 million in sales.

From a PSR standpoint, Enzo Maresca’s side appear to be comfortably sailing above the threshold of a £105 million loss over a rolling three-year period. Their £87.5m winnings from the Club World Cup and qualification for the Champions League, combined with player sales, means Chelsea have very few worries when it comes to PSR compliance, but it is a different story when it comes to UEFA’s FFP rules.

After being fined and charged with breaching FFP last month, Chelsea essentially have to balance out their incomings with outgoings, or risk not being able to register new signings for the Champions League next season.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

This is why their player sales are absolutely crucial, and it is why we’ve seen a flurry of exits taking place in the last week.

The departures of Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja to Burnley, combined with Kieran Dewsbury-Hall’s imminent Everton move, will help to make space for the potential signings of RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons and Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Chelsea have been in talks to sign Simons for a while, and they’re apparently making progress alongside their ongoing talks for Garnacho as well.

United may have to sell Garnacho for just £40 million too, with the Red Devils forced to drastically reduce his asking price from £70 million amid their struggles to offload the Argentine.

Alejandro Garnacho makes subtle Chelsea transfer hint on Instagram

While Chelsea and Ruben Amorim’s side negotiate a deal, the player himself has made a subtle hint on Instagram that Stamford Bridge is his preferred destination.

As relayed by journalist Simon Phillips, Garnacho liked a post from Fabrizio Romano linking him with a move to Chelsea – so it appears the 21-year-old may in fact be pretty keen on joining Maresca in the coming weeks.

There is an argument to be made about the lack of professionalism on display here, and whether it could be a bad sign from Chelsea’s perspective about the winger’s attitude, especially after Garnacho’s Old Trafford fallout.

However, according to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, Chelsea have conducted extensive background checks into Garnacho’s character and are satisfied by what they’ve found. As the clock ticks towards deadline day, this is definitely one to watch.

Fast-bowling allrounder Cherry-Ann Fraser and uncapped quick Jannillea Glasgow have earned call-ups to the 15-member West Indies squad for the six white-ball fixtures against Bangladesh at home. The series will begin with the first of three ODIs on January 19 and conclude with the last of three T20Is on January 30, with St Kitts hosting all the games.Fast bowler Shamilia Connell and middle-order batter Rashada Williams are the two absentees from West Indies’ last assignment, the tour of India. West Indies will continue to be without veteran allrounder Stafanie Taylor, who is still recovering from a knee injury, a CWI release said.Fraser has played a total of 12 ODIs, with her last appearance in the format in October 2023 against Australia. Her last international appearance, though, was against Sri Lanka in a T20I in Hambantota in June last year. Glasgow has played four T20Is, the last of them against Pakistan in Karachi in May 2024. Though she has been travelling with the West Indies ODI squad on and off since 2023, Glasgow hasn’t got an opportunity in the format yet.West Indies are currently ninth in the Women’s Championship table – the top-six teams qualify automatically for the ODI World Cup in India later this year. But, with 14 points from 21 matches at this stage, it’s impossible for West Indies to secure direct qualification even if they finish with a maximum of 20 points with a 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh, with New Zealand at sixth position with 21 points already. However, seventh-placed Bangladesh, with 19 points from 21 matches, have a chance of moving past New Zealand and securing a top-six finish.”Bangladesh’s visit comes at an ideal time in our preparation cycle,” West Indies head coach Shane Deitz said. “They’re a skilled unit that has shown impressive growth, and this series gives us an excellent opportunity to examine our squad depth and continue to implement our aggressive, flamboyant brand of West Indian cricket.”We have been focusing on specific areas of improvement in our training and touring, and these matches will help us gauge our progress. The conditions at Warner Park will challenge both teams and make for compelling cricket. I’m looking forward to seeing how some of our younger and less-experienced players respond to the test.”This will be the first-ever bilateral series between the two sides, as well as Bangladesh’s first bilateral tour of the Caribbean. The teams’ last ODI meeting was three years ago in the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, when West Indies won the game by four runs.Overall, the two teams have met five times in international cricket – four times in T20Is and once in an ODI – and West Indies are yet to suffer a defeat.However, West Indies will be aware that they are coming off two consecutive ODI series defeats, against India and Sri Lanka, and will be keen to end the six-match losing run when they take on Bangladesh.

West Indies ODI and T20I squad

Hayley Matthews (capt), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Cherry Ann Fraser, Jannilea Glasgow

The Mumbai opener hits 181 off just 117 balls against Nagaland in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

PTI31-Dec-2024

File photo: Ayush Mhatre struck 181 off just 117 balls for Mumbai against Nagaland•PTI

Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre has set a new world record for the youngest player to score 150-plus in men’s List A cricket, during Tuesday’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Nagaland, bettering Yashasvi Jaiswal’s effort.Mhatre did it at 17 years and 168 days, while Jaiswal had been 17 years and 291 days when he achieved the feat, also playing for Mumbai against against Jharkhand in 2019.Related

Vijay Hazare Trophy: Agarawal, Tilak, Nair go big as tournament crosses halfway mark

Jaiswal becomes the youngest man to hit a one-day double-century

Ayush Mhatre: Another Mumbai teenager with dazzling potential

Mhatre, who made his debut for Mumbai earlier this season, clobbered 11 sixes and 15 fours to make 181 off only 117 balls while powering his side to an imposing 403 for 7 in their 50 overs. A local boy, Mhatre has been a regular fixture for Mumbai across formats since he broke into the squad earlier in the season.He was a part of the Irani Cup-winning Mumbai side which defeated Rest of India to take the title after 27 years in October. On his Ranji Trophy debut, Mhatre scored a fine 71-ball 52 but Mumbai lost that season opener to Baroda.With defending champions looking to bounce back, Mhatre led the charge with a brilliant 176 off 232 balls, which was studded with 22 fours and four sixes, against Maharashtra. Mumbai won that game by nine wickets. He had a couple of quiet outings against Tripura and Odisha but slammed his second first-class ton – 116 off 149 balls with 12 fours and three sixes – against Services and went on to represent India in the Under-19 Men’s Asia Cup.Mhatre kept the runs flowing with fifties (54 and 67 not out) against Japan and UAE, but fell for a single-digit score in the tournament’s final which India lost to Bangladesh.Having missed Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title triumph, Mhatre began the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier domestic 50-overs competition, with 78 in a high-scoring contest against Karnataka.

Derby County are believed to be battling Championship rivals Swansea City for the loan signing of a “special” Premier League player this summer.

Eustace positive despite Derby defeat

It hasn’t exactly been an ideal start to the season for the Rams, who have lost their opening couple of Championship matches, losing 3-1 away to Stoke City and suffering a 5-3 hammering at home to Coventry City.

Despite this, Derby manager John Eustace found positives to Saturday’s loss against the Sky Blues, seeing enough to feel optimistic about moving forward.

“I was very happy with the attitude of the boys today. The way we stuck together when we went a goal down a couple of times, and then the character we showed to get back into the game when we went 3-2 up, was pleasing. The most disappointing thing for me is that at the moment, we’ve got a bit of a soft underbelly, and we need to get through the difficult moments.

“I appreciate that we’re probably not as up to speed as where we want to be at the moment through different scenarios. Even so, you have to defend the box better than we have been in the last couple of games.”

Derby will know that improvements are needed on the pitch, in order to avoid a relegation battle this season, and they have now been linked with a player that Rams supporters know well.

Derby in the mix to sign "special" winger

According to The Athletic, Derby are pursuing a move for Liverpool youngster Kaide Gordon this summer, with Swansea also eyeing a move for the 20-year-old. The Reds are also “considering loan approaches” for the winger, who started his career with the Rams before completing a move to Anfield in 2021.

Gordon returning to Derby for the rest of the season could go down well, even though he hasn’t necessarily hit the huge heights many predicted, with Jurgen Klopp heaping praise on him during their time working together.

“He is a special kid, everyone knows that. He is really calm, great finisher. But he can improve he needs to get more involved in the game.”

Gordon will know that he has no real future at Liverpool, so a year away will surely appeal to him, allowing him to kick on his career and not grow stagnant.

He has now reached a point where he needs to find an extra gear, looking to add to a tally of only one Championship goal in 16 appearances, but the talent is there for him to be an excellent addition for Derby for a year. Eustace may even feel that a permanent signing could be on the cards next summer, should he impress enough.

The esteemed Golden Ball has been elusive to so many great footballers down the years, but who deserved it the most?

Back in 1995, the Ballon d'Or became eligible to non-European players for the first time, which helped it to become the most sought-after award in the sport. A grand total of 17 players have won it since then, including African icon George Weah, Brazilian quartet Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka, and Argentine maestro Lionel Messi, who has dominated the vote over the last 16 years with a record haul of eight wins.

Meanwhile, Portuguese goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo has brought the Golden Ball back to Europe on five occasions, and Mathias Sammer, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Pavel Nedved, Andriy Shevchenko, Fabio Cannavaro, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Rodri have each claimed the prestigious prize once. All of those players were deserving winners, too, but so were many of the superstars they beat to the top of the podium.

As we edge closer to the 2025 winner being crowned, GOAL has ranked the top 10 greatest footballers to never win the Ballon d'Or, starting with a man who scored a whopping 573 career goals on his way to lifting 34 trophies…

Getty Images10Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Indeed, only six players in history have won more trophies than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which is a testament to his insatiable hunger for victory and longevity at the highest level. The indomitable striker won 11 league titles in four different countries, and he is third in the list of the highest scoring players this century behind Messi and Ronaldo, with 62 of his goals coming at international level with an unfancied Sweden team.

Despite all of that, Ibrahimovic's highest finish in the Ballon d'Or voting was only fourth, which he managed at PSG in 2014. The former Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan and Manchester United striker's failure to win the Champions League, or even reach the final, always counted against him, but he did still find the net 48 times across 124 appearances, and is the only player to ever score for six different clubs in the competition.

Ibrahimovic was also a maverick with a penchant for the spectacular. He made the impossible possible and had a larger-than-life personality that made him pure box office. There were plenty of other contenders for the final spot on the list, including Francesco Totti, Dennis Bergkamp, Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Carlos, Samuel Eto'o, and Gianluigi Buffon, but Ibrahimovic gets the nod for being a one-of-a-kind genius who set incredible standards of consistency.

AdvertisementGetty9Raul

Raul Gonzalez is regarded as one of the finest players to ever wear the iconic Real Madrid shirt, having scored 228 goals in 550 appearances for the club between 1994 and 2010. The Spanish centre-forward was a deadly finisher with both feet and had unrivalled instincts in and around the box, which were invaluable to Madrid during their runs to Champions League glory in 1997-98, 1999-2000 and 2001-02.

Real also amassed six La Liga titles with Raul leading the line, including when he was at the peak of his powers in the 2000-21 season. He won the Golden Boot with 24 goals and also finished as top scorer in the Champions League, but narrowly missed out on the 2021 Ballon d'Or to Liverpool frontman Michael Owen.

Owen was acknowledged for firing Liverpool to an FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup treble, but only hit 24 goals in all competitions compared to Raul's 32. The Real icon, who also racked up 102 appearances and 44 career goals for Spain, was the best player in Europe that year. It could also be argued that Raul didn't always get his due credit in Madrid's Galactico era, despite his quality in the final third never wavering and his underrated leadership skills as captain.

Getty Images Sport8Paolo Maldini

Only one defender was worthy of a place in these rankings: the elegant, unflappable AC Milan and Italy legend Paolo Maldini. was an expert reader of the game with remarkable stamina and strength, which meant he rarely came off second best in one-v-one situations, and he was versatile enough to operate as both a centre-back and left-back.

“There are great players and there are world-class players. Then there are those who manage to go beyond that term. Paolo is the perfect example," former Italy international Del Piero once said in what was also a "perfect" assessment of Maldini. There has never been a more complete defender, and probably never will be.

Maldini's career achievements back that up, with five Champions League crowns and seven Serie A titles amassed across his 25-year stint at Milan, while he also earned runners-up medals with Italy at both the World Cup and European Championship. Few players have left a bigger imprint on the game than Maldini, and he should really have claimed multiple Ballons d'Or, but incredibly, he only made it onto the podium once, on the back of a masterclass in Milan's 2003 Champions League final win over Juventus.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty7Xavi

Xavi Hernandez was the heartbeat of the greatest club and international sides ever, a masterful deep-lying playmaker who was always one step ahead of everyone else on the pitch. The diminutive midfielder won the Champions League four times and La Liga on eight occasions during his 17-year career at Barcelona, while also leading Spain to back-to-back European Championships and the World Cup.

Between 2009 and 2012, Barca and Spain were both unstoppable, and Xavi came third in the Ballon d'Or voting in each of those years behind overall winner Messi. The Argentine prevailed through the strength of his insane number of goal contributions and individual flair, but Xavi was unfortunate not to finish above his Barca team-mate at least once.

Xavi's work in the middle of the park was never anything less than immaculate, and without him controlling the tempo of games, Barca would not have been nearly so dominant, but it went under the radar. As a team player, Xavi had no equal. As former Spain and Man Utd midfielder Ander Herrera said in a fitting tribute to Xavi after his departure from Barca in 2015: "There won’t be another player like him. The style of Barcelona and the national team was forged through him."

The dues will be paid in three instalments of 25% each on February 3, 7 and 10, the sports minister said in a statement

Mohammad Isam03-Feb-2025Bangladesh’s sports ministry said on Monday that Durbar Rajshahi owner Shafiqur Rahman has vowed to clear the team’s dues to players by February 10. Rahman had earlier said that the dues would be cleared by February 2.On Saturday, Asif Mahmud, the government advisor on matters of sports and youth affairs, said that he had spoken to Rahman, warning him of the consequences if the dues were not cleared. The Bangladesh government has also formed a fact-finding committee to look into the non-payment of players.The ministry issuing a press statement on a matter of the BPL – a tournament organised by the BCB – is unprecedented.Related

Taskin, Tamim headline ESPNcricinfo's BPL 2024-25 team of the tournament

Rajshahi's overseas players stuck in Dhaka hotel over BPL payment issues

Bangladesh government forms a committee to look into player payment issue at BPL

“He [Rahman] accepted his fault and promised to clear all dues of the team in three instalments of 25 percent each on February 3, 7 and 10,” the release said. “He also assured that alongside the players, everyone involved with the team would also receive their payments in each instalment. Otherwise, whatever necessary legal actions will be taken against him.”Even as the franchise continued to miss payment deadlines, the team’s overseas players were left stranded in the team hotel in Dhaka. Mohammad Haris (Pakistan), Aftab Alam (Afghanistan), Mark Deyal (West Indies), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe) and Miguel Cummins (West Indies) were all waiting for some portion of their payments to come in. A couple of them had been paid 25%, while some haven’t been paid at all. To make things worse for the players, the Rajshahi team bus driver has allegedly said in interviews that he was holding cricketers’ kit bags as ransom as he too hadn’t been paid.Burl was the first to get an air ticket and he left early on Monday. According to a message from the Rajshahi franchise, Haris is scheduled to leave on Monday afternoon while the others have flights scheduled in the next two days.Rajshahi have been dogged by financial problems from the start of this BPL season.Anamul Haque had first claimed that the local players hadn’t received any payments prior to the start of the tournament – they are usually played 25% before the tournament starts. They boycotted a training session in Chattogram last month, while the overseas players boycotted a match. Burl and Haris eventually made themselves available to play and helped them stay in contention for a playoff finish, but they fell short on net run-rate.