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Alex Iwobi’s rap alter ego ’17’ shows players can have a life beyond football

Alex Iwobi is well accustomed to the standards footballers are held to, however unfair they may be. His burgeoning rap career has only made him more aware of the lens through which they are perceived. One incident, which took place as last season’s Premier League title race between Manchester City and Arsenal approached its climax, made that abundantly clear. The title was out of Arsenal’s hands, and they needed City…

USMNT-linked Matarazzo to remain at Hoffenheim

Pellegrino Matarazzo confirmed he will remain the head coach of Bundesliga team Hoffenheim, amid rumors linking him to the vacant U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) manager role. German news outlet Bild first reported that the U.S. Soccer federation initiated talks to offer the position to the Bundesliga manager, before Sky Sports added he stood as the leading candidate for the American team. But Matarazzo has shut down the possibility, reaffirming…

Ten Hag: Sancho could start season as striker

Erik ten Hag has suggested that Jadon Sancho could start the season as Manchester United’s central striker to fill in for the injured Rasmus Hojlund. Hojlund is set to miss six weeks with a hamstring injury suffered during the first game of the U.S. tour against Arsenal. In his absence, Sancho, brought back into the squad following a 10-month exile, was deployed as the No. 9 in Wednesday’s 3-2 victory…

Ten Hag focused on future with Man United: ‘I was never distracted from the mission’

LOS ANGELES — Erik ten Hag has had an eventful summer. There was a point at which it looked as if he might not get the chance to stay on as Manchester United manager as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos conducted their review of a disappointing season in the Premier League and Champions League, albeit one that ended with a remarkable FA Cup final victory over rival Manchester City. But…

Lewa: Too much football making quality worse

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has expressed concerns over the amount of football being played, adding that he thinks it is contributing to a decline in the quality of games. FIFA on Thursday offered talks with global groups of football leagues and player unions to end a three-month deadlock after they threatened legal action over adding to the packed competitions calendar. “This season is going to be more tough than before…

Gustavsson exits Matildas after Olympic KO

Tony Gustavsson’s reign as head coach of the Matildas is over, with Football Australia confirming on Thursday afternoon that it had mutually agreed to part ways with the coach following the conclusion of his contract. Gustavsson, 50, was appointed to Matildas role in September 2020 on a deal that took him through the Paris Olympics, a campaign that ended on Wednesday after a 2-1 defeat to the United States, combined…