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The pitch was difficult for batting once again but Bangladesh’s openers overcame the challenge to help win the series decider

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-2025A failing batting line-up and a long run of poor results in ODIs prompted Bangladesh to throw up their version of the Hail Mary this series: a dark, cracked pitch in Mirpur, where the ball spins, spits and makes run-scoring difficult. The highest total in the first two matches was only 213, and Bangladesh and West Indies set a new world record by bowling 92 overs of spin in the second ODI.So when Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar walked out to open the innings in the series decider, the focus was on how they would cope with the surface. Bangladesh hadn’t won an ODI series for 18 months, which is a bad place for a team targeting direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup.It was the batting that had consistently let Bangladesh down, so the pressure was on once again. But over the next 25 overs, Saif and Soumya gave their team hope.They added 176 runs in 25.2 overs for the first wicket; Saif scoring 80 off 72 balls and Soumya 91 off 86. Their attacking approach was in contrast to the struggle of batters in the previous two games, and none of the batters that came after them from either side managed to emulate their success.The partnership helped Bangladesh score 296 for 8, a total that was 179 runs too many for West Indies. Daren Sammy, the West Indies coach, praised the mentality Saif and Soumya had shown in such conditions.Related

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“I think it’s a mindset,” Sammy said after the game. “You know, for us, when we explain in the dressing room what this game means, you know, we’re looking for automatic qualification [for the World Cup]. We have got two teams fighting for that last spot before the cut-off period, and then you have a series decider on the line. Your mindset must be I’m the one to do that. You saw the mindset of the [Bangladesh] batters.”They were like, ‘You know what? I’m gonna be brave on that wicket, I’m gonna set the tone’. The score didn’t reflect what the wicket was. The batsmen came in, decided to be brave in the powerplay, and that put us under pressure. And then we, we just took so long to answer. We were not consistent enough in the areas that would challenge the batters and then we paid heavily for it.”Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said the Saif-Soumya partnership was a long time coming. “The start is very important for a team. We haven’t had such a partnership from the top order for a long time. The team mentality changes when you get such a start from the top order.”We have to give credit to Saif and Soumya for the way they batted today. They batted aggressively on this wicket, which made it easy for the rest of the team.”Mehidy said he liked how Soumya and Saif went for their favoured shots whenever presented with the opportunity. “It feels good. We have been struggling with our batting for a long time. We however believed that we could make a comeback any time. We have to give them some time.”This wasn’t an easy wicket but they played their go-to shots. Soumya Sarkar played reverse sweeps against their spinners. Saif Hassan attacked their right-handed bowlers. They played with calculative risks.”A batter will do well in three out of five innings. The team will benefit if those three knocks are substantial. It becomes difficult if the batter falls in the thirties after getting set. We have to be more patient with these batters. A good top-order partnership usually helps the batting line-up.”For now, the Saif-Soumya stand is a one-off event. It was Bangladesh’s first 100-plus opening stand in two years. After their dismissals, the rest struggled to maintain the tempo. But Saif and Soumya provided an example of how a bit of courage can overcome the most difficult of batting conditions.

His 51 in Pune won’t be remembered like Tamim’s in Port of Spain, but it will give him reassurance after a tough start to his international career

Mohammad Isam19-Oct-2023When Tanzid Hasan rushed out to Mohammed Siraj and hit him over the covers, it looked like he was sick of getting out for 16. It had happened twice in his nascent international career, and was his best in ODIs to date. The carve over cover got him to 19.It mattered, perhaps. It has been that sort of a month for the young man, after all.Tanzid was caught in the crossfire of the Shakib Al Hasan-Tamim Iqbal spat. He had nothing to do with it apart from being the left-hand opening batter who replaced Tamim Iqbal in the World Cup squad. His nickname also happens to be Tamim, but we will get to it a bit later.Related

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Against India in Pune, Tanzid reached 40 off 28 balls with a flurry of fours and sixes off Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Then to his fifty off 41 balls. Tanzid drove five fours in addition to his three sixes from a whip, a hook and a blast over the covers. Kuldeep Yadav brought an end to Tanzid’s breakout ODI innings, but not before the young batter made a big crowd go quiet for an hour and 15 minutes.It was the innings that Bangladesh’s cricket-watching public had been waiting for.Tanzid came with a big reputation after he helped Bangladesh win the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. In July this year, he struck three fifties in four innings in the Emerging Cup in Sri Lanka. He got a duck on ODI debut in the Asia Cup, and then struggled through the New Zealand ODIs at home, and the first three World Cup games.Every Bangladesh press conferences in the last 12 days had at least three questions about Tanzid or the “opening pair”. The team management stuck by him. Nobody really thought what it was like for Tanzid in the last four weeks.Like most cricket-obsessed kids from the subcontinent, Tanzid was trained very early in his life about tackling high-pressure situations. It starts at home. For Tanzid, it was when he was in sixth grade. In an interview to before the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, Tanzid told the story about the time when his father kicked him out of his house for playing cricket.Tanzid Hasan faced early struggles in his international career•Associated Press”My father, who worked in the public sector, brought me and my sister to Bogra for better education,” Tanzid said. “I was more into cricket, so one day he kicked me out of the house. I had just returned home after playing cricket when he scolded me, and then literally sent me out. My father used to think that playing will cost me my education. ‘I don’t want a son like you – I brought you here for your education, and you are wasting your time playing cricket,’ he told me that day.”Tanzid, though, quickly convinced his father that he was the real deal, with a lot of help from his mother. His big leap was when he joined the Bangla Trac Cricket Academy, 104 kilometres southwest of Bogra, in Rajshahi. Tanzid top-scored in the Dhaka First Division Cricket League in his first season, before making it to the Under-19 side. The country first noticed him after he made 80 off 84 balls against South Africa in the World Cup quarter-final.

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His name, understandably, sparked curiousity too. Were his parents fans of Tamim Iqbal that they named him after the Bangladesh cricket hero? Tanzid was born in 2000 so there’s no chance of that happening – Tamim Iqbal made his international debut only in 2007. He is an idol, though.Being a left-hand batter, instead, came about following advice from a neighbour.”Sojol , my neighbour who taught me everything about cricket since I was in class three, got me to bat left-handed. He always told me that a left-hander has more opportunities in Bangladesh,” Tanzid said. “I started following Tamim later. I loved playing the cut and pull like him. I want to be a complete left-hand batter like Tamim .

“My parents gave me the nickname Tamim. I recognised Tamim when I started playing cricket in my childhood. I loved that my name was similar to Tamim ‘s, and that I bat left-handed like him. I am also an opener like him. But my parents didn’t name me after Tamim “Tanzid Hasan

“My parents gave me this name Tamim. I recognised Tamim when I started playing cricket in my childhood. I loved that my name was like Tamim ‘s, and that I bat left-handed like him, too. I am also an opener like him. But my parents didn’t name me after Tamim .”A few days before the big Shakib-Tamim fight in Bangladesh cricket, Tamim Sr gave his namesake the stamp of approval. “I have always been his fan,” Tamim Iqbal said. “Maybe everyone says that in press conferences but those close to me know that when the Under-19 team won the title, I always thought he was the best player in that team.”It is unfortunate that it took him so long to come to the national team, but I always believed he was the best batter in the team. It was great to see him score runs. It won’t take long. He is a quality player. Batting, fielding, approach, attitude – everything.”Now, in case you thought the coincidences and the Tamim connection ended there, not quite.Tanzid scored 51 against India in Pune. Tamim had scored 51 against India in Port of Spain in 2007. In 2007, Bangladesh had scripted what remains one of their most famous victories. It wasn’t the case on Thursday, of course.But the similarities end there.Tamim was a (a colloquial Bengali word for a hitter) in his early days, before he transformed himself into a technically strong and heavy-scoring opener. Tanzid is aggressive but only when the situation and opportunity calls for it. This is how the current generation learns from the previous generation and improves a cricket team. The world waxed lyrical about Tamim when he blazed India all those years ago. Tanzid may not get that much attention but his 51 will give him immense confidence, and a way out of the mess he involuntarily found himself in.

If a batter has scored a Test century, he knows how to construct an innings

Ian Chappell20-Jun-2021First there was American guitar legend Jimi Hendrix and his band the Experience. Now we have England cricket coach and selector Chris Silverwood and his inexperienced group.Silverwood’s rationale for England’s abysmal batting displays against New Zealand was the inexperience of the players involved. This assessment – especially considering Silverwood chose those batters – doesn’t bear much scrutiny.A glance at the opposition line-up immediately peels away the layers of credibility surrounding Silverwood’s excuse. New Zealand opener Devon Conway made a double-century on debut at Lord’s – it didn’t take him long to acclimate.Conway is one of seven players to make a double-century on Test debut and he’s not even the first from New Zealand. Mathew Sinclair achieved the feat against the West Indies in 1999.Related

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Will Young, New Zealand’ s No. 3 at Edgbaston, made an accomplished 82 in only his third Test innings, when he was drafted in to replace injured captain Kane Williamson. Williamson is another century-maker on debut; he did it against India in 2010, and currently has 24 Test hundreds overall.Making a century on debut doesn’t necessarily lead to a long and successful career. In 1973, New Zealand’s Rodney Redmond made 107 and 56 on debut against Pakistan but inexplicably was never chosen again.Of course, some outstanding debuts have led to glittering careers; Australia’s Doug Walters and India’s Mohammad Azharuddin are two prime examples. Walters made 155 on debut at the Gabba against England and followed it with another century in the next Test, at the MCG. Walters scored 15 Test centuries in all, three of them coming in a session. Azharuddin, in the parlance of Walters’ favourite pastime, card-playing, said, “I see you and raise you one.” Azhar scored centuries in his first three Tests and then amassed a further 19.Coming back to Silverwood’s claim, if you leave aside Joe Root, the one top-class Test batter in England’s line-up, how inexperienced are the rest?Rory Burns has three Test centuries in 46 innings, including one in the first Test against New Zealand. Fellow opener Dom Sibley has two Test centuries in 35 innings. Both Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley have scored a Test century each in their short careers, with the latter’s being a double. That leaves only Dan Lawrence among the top order without a Test century. He was denied the chance of one in the first innings at Edgbaston when he was left stranded on 81 not out.Generally the completion of a first Test century is not only a relief but also provides a batter with the belief he is good enough to compete at the highest level. Not always, but often, this then leads to a successful career.Rather than resorting to the lame excuse of inexperience, Silverwood ought to look at the system that produces these batters and some of the ludicrous theories that are evolving from that environment.Of the four leading Test nations – India, New Zealand, England and Australia – the county competition is the one that suffers most from the escalation of short-form cricket and the convoluted scheduling that produces. This is often cited as the reason for some over-ambitious strokeplay from young English batters.I’d counter by saying: if you’ve scored a Test century, you should have a rough idea how to construct an innings.
Some of the English batting techniques defy logic; their performance in India recently was the worst I’ve seen against spin bowling. The tendency to take off-stump guard as standard procedure is a recipe for failure, as it is designed to avoid dismissal rather than what batting should be about – finding a method to score runs.Short-form cricket may be to blame for some of the England batters’ lack of discipline at Test level but so too is a porous defence, which often leads to panic-stricken shot selection.In 1967, Hendrix released an album titled The answer for a batter who has scored a Test century: “reasonably”.

Manchester United are always on the hunt for top talent and could now be about to strike a deal for one of the world’s best goalscorers after making contact with his camp.

Man Utd sign Charlie Hardy as recruitment drive continues

Despite the transfer window being closed, the Red Devils have completed a deal to sign Derby County youngster Charlie Hardy as they continue to invest in talent for the future at Old Trafford.

The England Under-16 goalkeeper will sign a scholarship and is set to sign professional forms when he turns 17, becoming the latest in a long line of youthful additions, as broken by Andy Mitten of The Athletic.

While the club continue to search for a striker to lead the tline in years to come, Chido Obi-Martin continues to impress behind the scenes, and he isn’t the only one, with Carrington continuing to be a hub of excellence that can one day provide solutions at senior level.

Nevertheless, the here and now is what most Manchester United fans will be concerned with. Benjamin Sesko has made a bright start to his career in England, scoring two goals in eight Premier League appearances, though he is still finding his feet in new surroundings.

Sooner rather than later, Joshua Zirkzee could be on his way out of Old Trafford amid interest from West Ham United. Conceivably, this could pave the way for another striker to enter the building.

Financially, money generated from his sale may well be reinvested into the squad. Either way, movement in one direction will need to be followed with a counteraction to avoid Amorim’s squad being left short, something his side now reportedly plan to execute.

Man Utd make contact with Robert Lewandowski's camp

According to SPORT, Manchester United have made contact with the camp of Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who will be out of contract next summer if La Blaugrana opt not to activate his one-year extension clause option.

The outlet claim they will only do so if he continues to deliver in front of the target, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. are said to see the Poland international as someone who could help Sesko’s development if he were to swap La Liga for the Premier League

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Labelled a “goal machine” by Raphinha, the 37-year-old has scored four goals in nine matches this term. However, he is currently dealing with a muscle fibre tear and could be out for up to six weeks.

Of course, he will eventually recover, but one does have to wonder whether it would be worth taking a risk on someone who is clearly no longer in their prime from a fitness perspective.

Either way, Lewandowski is one of the best poachers on the planet and if Manchester United could afford his £350,000 per week wages, he may be worth taking a leap of faith for.

تحدث عمرو الجزار، مدافع فريق البنك الأهلي، عن العروض التي تلقاها من الأهلي والزمالك لضمه خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وقال عمرو الجزار، عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “تلقيت عرضًا من الزمالك ونادٍ آخر في مصر وخارج مصر قبل انضمامي للبنك الأهلي، وتلقيت عرضًا من النادي الأهلي”.

وأكمل: “الاتفاق وصل قبل انتهاء الموسم بشهرين، كل شيء بين الخطيب ووليد خليل، رئيس النادي، ولكن النادي لم يكن في أفضل وضع، كنا ننافس على الهبوط، وأجلنا كل شيء لأننا ناد جماهيري ولا يريد الجمهور أن يتحدث، انتهى الموسم على خير، وكنت منتظرًا أن تنتهي الصفقة، ولكنها لم تكتمل مع غزل المحلة”.

طالع.. الزمالك: بنتايج حصل على 75% من مستحقاته.. وهناك إجراء قانوني غير سليم

وواصل: “أبلغت وليد خليل برغبتي وكل شيء كان منتهيًا، ولكن الصفقة لم تتم ولا أعرف السبب، تلقيت أكثر من عرض خارج مصر، ولكن فضلت الاستمرار في مصر وألعب لموسم آخر لأثبت نفسي”.

وأضاف: “الزمالك دائمًا كان يجس النبض، لأن غزل المحلة في ذلك الوقت كان يطلب أرقامًا كبيرة، والأمور المادية لم تكن أفضل شيء في الزمالك، ووقعت قبل ذلك مع حسين السيد عضو مجلس إدارة القلعة البيضاء، ولكن الصفقة لم تتم بسبب المقابل المادي”.

وأتم: “غزل المحلة كان يريد مقابل بيعي 25 إلى 30 مليون جنيه، وانضممت لنادي البنك الأهلي بهذا المقابل، والزمالك في ذلك التوقيت لم يكن قادرًا على دفع هذا المبلغ”.

Winning the Premier League title is easier said than done, but defending that crown is then another challenge entirely. It makes Pep Guardiola’s and Sir Alex Ferguson’s consecutive title wins in Manchester that much more impressive and exposes the level that Arne Slot looks incredibly unlikely to reach at Liverpool this season.

The Reds spent over £400m in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice. It seemed as though the Premier League title could only be destined for Merseyside, but the reality is that Liverpool are on course to endure one of the worst defences in Premier League history.

Although others have recovered to end the season strongly in the past, the Reds look destined to enter the history books among nine other previous champions.

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Ranking factors:

League finish – how far the champions fell after securing the title the season prior. Club context – The context of the champions’ situation, such as injury issues and other deciding factors. 10 Arsenal 2004/05

From invincible to 12 points behind winners Chelsea, Arsenal failed to follow up their historic campaign a season prior in the 2004/05 season, as Jose Mourinho arrived in style at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it was always going to be difficult to follow the Invincibles, the Gunners would have been disappointed with their blunt title fight.

Defeat against Manchester United ended their unbeaten run and from there, their cloak of invincibility evaporated. Arsene Wenger’s side won one of their next five games, leaving Chelsea to take full advantage.

9 Man Utd 2003/04

Man Utd can be forgiven for being up against the Invincibles in the 2003/04 campaign, but it’s still a season that didn’t meet the incredibly high expectations set by Ferguson. The Red Devils slipped to third place, despite leading the title race in early January.

After defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, United didn’t recover and allowed Arsenal to take full control on their way to a historic title win. To make matters worse, those at Old Trafford also fell behind Chelsea in the same season.

8 Liverpool 2020/21

The 2020/21 season saw Liverpool’s Anfield superpower handed its very own Kryptonite, as the world came to a standstill courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were fears that the Reds wouldn’t even get the chance to end a dominant title win the season before, but football soon resumed and they ended their wait for glory, albeit in an empty stadium.

A season later, anything that could go wrong did for Jurgen Klopp as injuries piled up and Liverpool were left with a centre-back partnership of Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips. It was touch and go whether they’d secure a top four finish, but Alisson Becker’s stunning header against West Bromwich Albion ensured that Liverpool ended a nightmare campaign in glorious fashion.

7 Chelsea 2017/18

The first season under Antonio Conte is one to remember for most clubs, but what tends to happen next is anything but memorable. The Italian arrived at Stamford Bridge in the 2016/17 campaign and secured the English crown after changing to a back three and reviving Victor Moses into an excellent wing-back.

One season later, however, and a public fall-out with Diego Costa sparked the start of Chelsea’s downfall. The Blues looked a shadow of the champions that they became a season prior and were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth and 4-1 by Watford, before Conte lost his job at the end of the campaign.

6 Man Utd 2013/14

Over 10 years ago, Man United last entered a Premier League campaign as defending champions. And that’s where their problems commenced. In their first campaign without Ferguson, the Red Devils finished as low as seventh as David Moyes lasted until April before facing the sack.

At the time, the Scot took much of the blame, but United’s problems didn’t end when they sacked him. In fact, in the last decade, things have only become worse and worse for the Red Devils, who finished as low as 15th under Ruben Amorim last season.

5 Blackburn Rovers 1995/96

Like Man United in 2013, Blackburn Rovers went from lifting the Premier League title in the 95/96 campaign to finishing as low as seventh one season later. Blackburn, again like United, lost their manager at the end of their title-winning campaign, with Sir Kenny Dalglish choosing to resign off the back of success.

As a result, the champions struggled under Ray Harford and dropped to as low as 17th at one stage, before a revival in the second-half of the season took them up to seventh. It was a season to forget and not enough to keep hold of Alan Shearer, who netted 31 goals before heading to Newcastle United.

4 Leicester City 2016/17

It was back to reality for Leicester City in the 2016/17 season after they pulled off the miracle of all miracles one year prior. From shock champions, the Foxes found themselves attempting to avoid relegation, as Claudio Ranieri lost his job and the late Craig Shakespeare was left to pick up the pieces.

The champions still sat 17th by the time that February arrived, before Shakespeare picked up five straight wins to take Leicester to a 12th-place finish. Statistically, it is the worst title defence in Premier League history, but the context of their squad and just how great a shock their title win was in itself matters here.

3 Leeds United 92/93

Although Leeds United were technically not defending the Premier League title, the 1992/93 season was the first campaign of the rebranding and they entered it as English champions. After winning three of their first 10 games, the Whites’ title defence was all but over and the departure of Eric Cantona to Man United in January all but confirmed that.

By the end of the campaign, a Leeds side who lost their best player finished as low as 17th, with United taking full advantage to begin an incredible run under Ferguson.

2 Liverpool 2025/26

No one could have predicted the season that Liverpool are having. The Reds won their opening five games, albeit by utilising stoppage-time in dramatic fashion more than once, and looked on course to defend their crown when it all clicked. But then it never did click.

After breaking their transfer record twice to sign Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Liverpool have been a shadow of the champions that they became. Truth be told, they’ve looked like a squad still in mourning for their teammate, Diogo Jota.

Mentally, Liverpool look entirely drained. Physically, they’ve been outmatched. The effect of Jota’s passing is undeniable, but Slot must find a tactical solution to steady the ship before his side, who sit 12th after 12 games, make unwanted history.

1 Chelsea 2015/16

The return of Jose Mourinho restored Chelsea’s glory in the 2014/15 season, but things were far from special one season later. The legendary manager started the season by arguing with physio Eva Carneiro, who eventually won a £5m settlement, and things only got worse from there.

After nine losses in 16 games, Mournho was sacked by the Blues and replaced by Guus Hiddink. The caretaker manager finally got Eden Hazard firing on all cylinders again to win the famous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ and end Tottenham Hotspur’s title hopes, yet it was not enough to restore Chelsea’s pride. They ended the campaign in 10th.

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New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is such a potent hitter—and has been his entire career—that his glove is often taken for granted.

He only has two Gold Gloves on his resume, in 2016 and 2019, but he ranks seventh in defensive WAR among active players. Beyond that, he has the intangible quality of the truly great shortstops—a supreme smoothness in the field.

Take this play Friday evening. While mic'd up by Apple TV, Lindor snared a hard-hit grounder by Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker—and threw Walker out without a hint of a sweat as the announcers and the shortstop laughed.

It was part of a positive start for the Mets, who watched right fielder Juan Soto hit his first home run in the uniform of his new team.

Lindor will try to build on his MVP runner-up season in 2024, while chasing that elusive first Gold Glove in six years.

There are very few things Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t achieved in football, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner winning three Premier League titles, two La Ligas, five Champions Leagues and a whole host of other major honours.

However, it is a testament to the 40-year-old’s work ethic and sheer determination that he still feels like there is more to do, and the fairytale ending to the forward’s international career would be lifting the World Cup with Portugal next summer.

There is also more to achieve at club level, with Ronaldo making it clear he wants to reach 1,000 goals earlier this year, despite his family telling him to call time on his illustrious career.

The Al-Nassr star said: “People, especially my family, say: ‘It’s time for you to stop. You’ve done everything. Why do you want to score a thousand goals?”

“But I don’t think so. I think I’m still producing good things, I’m helping my club and the national team, and why not keep going?

“I’m sure that when I finish, I’ll be fulfilled, because I gave it my all. I know I don’t have many more years, but the few I have, I try to enjoy to the fullest.”

Ronaldo closing in on 1,000 goals

The legendary forward is now closing in on the unbelievable milestone, having made a fantastic start to the Saudi Pro League campaign, scoring eight goals in seven games, with the recent brace against Al-Fahya taking his total tally to 952.

Remarkably, 143 of those goals have been for Portugal, with the Real Madrid legend breaking the international goal-scoring record all the way back in 2021, and having lifted the Euros in 2016, winning the World Cup, the one trophy that has alluded him, will undoubtedly be a priority.

‘GOAT’ rival Lionel Messi famously got his hands back on the trophy back in 2022, with Argentina becoming champions of the world for the third time, courtesy of a dramatic victory against France on penalties, after what was an enthralling final.

Since then, both Ronaldo and Messi have left Europe to try something new, with the Argentina legend maintaining a remarkable goal and assist record at Inter Miami, amassing 111 goal contributions in 84 appearances.

Given that the 38-year-old is over two years younger than his long-time rival, he is still trailing in terms of goals, currently 60 behind, having scored 892 in 1132 career appearances, excluding club friendlies.

However, the Inter Miami star is some way out in front for assists, having created 399 goals, compared to 140 from Ronaldo, which arguably showcases that he is a more well-rounded player.

Regardless of who you consider to be the ‘GOAT’, both Messi and Ronaldo have enjoyed unbelievable careers, and there may still be plenty left to come, with neither player currently showing any signs of slowing down.

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Didier Deschamps has recalled N’Golo Kante to the France squad for the first time in a year, hailing the veteran midfielder as “still at his best.” The 34-year-old Al-Ittihad star has impressed with his consistency in Saudi Arabia and will feature in Les Bleus’ crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan this month.

• Kante earns France recall for decisive World Cup qualifiers

  Deschamps has named Kante in his latest France squad, marking the veteran midfielder’s first call-up in a year ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan. Kante’s inclusion comes as a surprise to many, given his move to the Saudi Pro League in 2023 with Al-Ittihad, but Deschamps made it clear that the former Chelsea and Leicester City star remains a key part of his plans.

  The 34-year-old last featured for Les Bleus in November 2024, captaining the side in a 0-0 Nations League draw against Israel. Since then, he has quietly rebuilt his rhythm and form in Saudi Arabia, making 12 appearances in all competitions this season.

  Les Bleus currently sit top of World Cup qualifying Group D with 10 points, three clear of Ukraine. With two decisive fixtures remaining, hosting Ukraine on November 13 before travelling to Azerbaijan three days later, Deschamps has turned to experience to steady his side. Kante’s recall underscores his remarkable consistency, leadership, and ability to influence games even in a new environment. The midfielder, who has 64 international caps, will join a squad missing several key names through injury, including Ousmane Dembele, Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot.

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• AFP
  

  'He’s still at his best' – Deschamps praises Kante

  Deschamps was full of praise when asked about Kante’s return, highlighting the midfielder’s professionalism and enduring quality. "I'm in contact with him. He's at his best in the matches I've seen him play; he plays every three or four days," Deschamps said. "He's still potentially eligible for selection, and the proof is that he's been selected.

  "He needs to maintain his position; he has a certain status, experience. When I call him up, it's to give him a role, not just to be part of the team. With what awaits us in this match, which could be decisive, he's always on my mind, in my thinking. The coaching staff and I follow him regularly. It's always a pleasure for him to wear this jersey." 

  Kante’s recall is not just a sentimental gesture, Deschamps emphasised that the veteran remains a tactical asset capable of dictating play and providing balance in midfield. The French coach’s comments reflect a broader respect for Kante’s influence on and off the pitch. Even as younger midfielders like Eduardo Camavinga and Warren Zaire-Emery continue to develop, Deschamps clearly believes there’s still room for the 2018 World Cup winner’s unique blend of energy and experience.

• A symbol of longevity and leadership

  Few players have enjoyed the sustained excellence of Kante. Since bursting onto the scene with Leicester's 2016 Premier League title win, the midfielder has gone on to conquer every major competition – two Premier League titles, a Champions League and a World Cup. His time at Al-Ittihad has been marked by quiet leadership and consistency. While the Saudi Pro League has drawn mixed reviews for its competitiveness, the midfielder has been among the few foreign stars to maintain elite physical standards, clocking impressive work rates across all competitions.

  Deschamps and his coaching staff have been monitoring his performances closely and were impressed by his match fitness and influence in recent fixtures. Kante is not the only SPL-based player in the latest France squad, Theo Hernandez, currently with Al-Hilal, also received a call-up, marking a new chapter in Deschamps’ openness to players outside Europe’s traditional leagues.

  Meanwhile, Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta keeps his spot after debuting in October, while Rayan Cherki and Randal Kolo Muani return from injury layoffs.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kante’s redemption arc continues

  After enduring a string of injuries during his final seasons at Chelsea, Kante’s renaissance has been one of football’s quieter success stories. His return for Euro 2024, where Les Blues reached the semi-finals, showcased his enduring engine and big-game reliability. Now, with France edging closer to World Cup qualification, Kante’s presence provides calm and clarity. His understanding of Deschamps’ system, paired with his unmatched ball-winning instincts, makes him an ideal anchor for a squad in transition.

  The next two fixtures could determine not only France’s qualification but also the veteran’s international future. For Kante, it’s another chance to prove that class and consistency never fade even after a move that many thought marked the end of his European relevance. 

  All eyes will be on the midfield maestro when France host Ukraine in Paris. If Deschamps’ faith proves right, Kante’s quiet return could once again make a decisive noise for the 2018 World Cup winners.

Manchester City experienced an almighty fall from grace last season, as Arne Slot’s Liverpool took over the reins of being the Premier League’s classiest side with ease.

Heading into the 2024/25 season, Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable force had collected four Premier League titles in a row, with many wondering if the Sky Blue domination of the English top-flight could ever be stopped.

Yet, come the end of the 38-game marathon, City sat – bruised and battered – with 71 points next to their name and nine defeats picked up, 13 points off the Reds at the summit of the tough division.

Even the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who are both world-class operators in their own right, couldn’t spearhead a push up the punishing league, with that crash back to reality proving to be the revered Belgian’s final season at the club, after a FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace only added more unbearable salt to the gaping wound.

Ultimately, losing Rodri for the entire campaign through injury was the sickener, with the Spanish enforcer experiencing a superhuman 2023/24 season for both club and country, which was then, unfortunately, met by injury heartbreak.

How Rodri became the best in the world at Man City

Rodri was a standout signing from the get-go, having cost a club-record fee in 2019 of £62.8m to bring to England from Atletico Madrid.

Swiftly, the Madrid-born midfielder would become the heartbeat of a frightening Citizens side gearing up for domestic domination, with only three top-flight games missed during his debut season as his new employers lost out on the title to the unstoppable train of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who amassed a mighty 99 points.

Rodri would only get better and better from this point onwards, though, as his personal trophy collection at the Etihad started to overflow.

The assured number 16 would collect 13 goal contributions just in the Premier League alone to guide his untouchable outfit to back-to-back Premier League titles, before becoming an untouchable world-beater during the memorable 2023/24 season for both Guardiola’s men and his nation.

The signs were there that Rodri was about to undergo a Ballon d’Or-winning journey, considering the close of the 2022/23 campaign saw the calm 29-year-old confidently stroke this effort home to finally bring an elusive Champions League back to the Sky Blue half of Manchester. Clearly, he had got a taste for being the man of the moment.

A stunning tally of eight goals and ten assists in league action from the reliable Spaniard the following campaign would clinch a mighty four Premier League titles in a row, leaving Guardiola to hail his dependable hero as “the best midfielder in the world” at that point in time, and it was an argument that was hard to knock down.

It would lead to Rodri picking up the illustrious Ballon d’Or accolade late last year, with the award all but sealed for the 29-year-old to collect when he was the glue that Luis De La Fuente’s Spain needed to lift the 2024 Euros, at the cruel expense of England in the final.

While only one goal contribution would come his way in the fast-paced tournament, Rodri was crucial in other ways as the battling, yet composed figure Spain needed in some crunch moments, with a 93% pass accuracy average, as per Sofascore, matched by a hunger to win 5.2 duels per pain-staking match-up.

Consistently playing at the peak of his powers very much took its toll on the much-loved number 16, though, with a cruciate ligament tear sustained last season by Rodri, obviously devastating news for those with connections to Guardiola and Co. and La Roja.

The road to recovery saw him miss a colossal 53 games for both club and country, as City’s elite club status took a battering, but Rodri looks to be slowly getting up to speed now, as City attempts to challenge Liverpool again for major honours.

Even with the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner now back available for selection, Guardiola actually has another Rodri-like player in his camp at the moment, who is also considered one of the world’s best in his own spot on the pitch.

Man City now have another Rodri-type player

Having experienced such a turbulent season last time out, City clearly felt like splashing significant wads of cash in the summer would suture up their problems effectively.

It has worked out somewhat, too, with new recruit Tijani Reijnders already being branded as “unbelievable” by Guardiola after powering home a confident strike on his Premier League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Having cost a sizeable £46.5m to obtain in the summer, the first impression is that this is money well spent.

For around £16m cheaper, though, City have arguably won themselves the steal of the transfer window when landing Italian favourite Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the brand-new number 25 playing at the very top of his game for some time now, since making his AC Milan debut at just 16 years of age a decade ago.

His agent, when he was just a teenager, in Mino Raiola, even wildly claimed that Donnarumma could go on to become “the best goalkeeper in the world”, with his outlandish comments now looking like unbelievable hindsight when you scan over his very successful career, leading up to his big Etihad move.

Donnarumma’s career numbers

Stat

Donnarumma

Games played

428

Goals conceded

439

Clean sheets

180

Major accolades

12

Current Ballon d’Or ranking

9th

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The 6-foot-5 beast has become well-known for being a serial trophy winner off the back of collecting 180 career clean sheets – much like Rodri at City – with 12 major accolades coming his way when being the number one stopper for both the Rossoneri and PSG.

In a similar fashion to Rodri, too, he has broken Three Lions hearts for his beloved Azzurri on the international stage, with Donnarumma the penalty shootout hero that saw Roberto Mancini’s Italy upset England at Wembley during the 2021 Euros final.

Also helping PSG to the Champions League glory last season via “elite” saves such as this one tallied up against Arsenal – with Mikel Merino labelling the Italian as such after the close contest at the Parc Des Princes – it’s clear that Guardiola bringing in the 78-time Italy international was done to try and kickstart another patch of success in Manchester, much like what Rodri offered up all those years ago when deserting La Liga.

With just four goals surrendered during his opening three clashes in England, it’s clear that Raiola’s crystal ball prediction wasn’t just wild praise for the sake of it, with Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta reinforcing this notion that he is an elite stopper when calling him “the best in the world” after that standout Gunners showing.

Guardiola will hope he can be a thorn in the side of the Gunners in the Premier League, as well, as Donnarumma attempts to pick up more domestic silverware – having conquered both Italy and France – with City, knowing he has an equally trophy-hungry teammate next to him in Rodri.

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Posts ByBen Gray Oct 15, 2025