Bill Williams, 81, has seen it all at Maidstone United across his 50-year association with the club. “I was first a player here back in 1972,” he tells ESPN. “I’ve been here a long time, but I’ve been a player and a manager since we made it to the Football League in 1989. I’ve been general manager, chairman, the chief executive, and now I’m director of football.” Back during his…
At the start of 2024, ESPN’s Gab Marcotti laid out his wishes for the year, a belated Christmas list that could help common sense prevail in football governance. Among Gab’s wishes were that the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) be given a bigger platform to help the game grow, while noting the incoming format change that arrives in 2025-26. To achieve this, the two burning questions are: 1) Is there…
After nine years of waiting, Mauricio Pochettino has scratched the itch of reaching a cup final in England. But playing in next month’s Carabao Cup final won’t be enough for the Chelsea head coach — he has to win it. Chelsea’s emphatic 6-1 semifinal second-leg win against Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge confirmed the Blues’ first Carabao Cup final since losing to Liverpool in 2022. Jurgen Klopp’s team will be their…
The winter transfer window is now open in Europe, and there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
The winter transfer window is now open in Europe, and there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
The Guinean Football Federation have asked fans to tone down their celebrations after six people were killed following a 1-0 win over Gambia at the Africa Cup of Nations on Friday. Jubilant Guinea fans took to the streets around the country after a victory that put coach Kaba Diawara’s side on the brink of reaching the knockout rounds at the tournament in Ivory Coast. The Federation released a video from…
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has said she expects an emotional end to her illustrious stint at the Women’s Super League side when she leaves at the end of this season to take charge of the United States women’s national team. Hayes took over at Chelsea in 2012 and helped them become the dominant force in English women’s football, winning six league titles and five FA Cups. It was announced in…
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Saturday that teams whose fans engage in racist abuse should be made to forfeit following incidents in Italy’s Serie A and England’s Championship. AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan briefly left the pitch in protest during a 3-2 win at Udinese due to repeated racist chants from home fans. He alerted the referee before walking to the team’s dressing room, followed by his teammates, before…
The past and the future of football are enticingly entwined in the South American Under-23 Championship, which kick off in Venezuela on Saturday. The reference to the future is easy to understand. This is a tournament for young players in a continent that probably produces more greats than anyone else in the world. Want to see 17-year-old sensation Endrick, already capped by Brazil at senior level and on his way…
There might be a winter break in the English Premier League with games stretched across weekends, but there are still plenty of talking points happening in Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and more. On Saturday, we saw Bayer Leverkusen’s fairytale season continue with a stoppage-time winner against RB Leipzig, Ivan Toney return to action for Brentford, and Arsenal edge Everton in the Women’s Super League. Meanwhile in Italy, Daniele…