football

Football coaching giants spark revolution in major national teams

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  • Post last modified:27 July 2026
Football coaching giants spark revolution in major national teams

The national football associations did not wait long after the curtain fell on the 2026 World Cup before rushing to launch a new era of technical change by signing managers ahead of the start of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. These recent developments reflect a striking shift in international football as the competition amongst top managers moves from European club pitches to the national team dugouts. Big names such as Zinedine Zidane and Jürgen Klopp are taking the helm, whilst other national teams are still racing against the clock to finalise their managerial appointments. Ex-football player becomes new coach The French…

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In pictures: London Irish embassy protest vs Ireland-Israel football matches

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  • Post last modified:16 July 2026
In pictures: London Irish embassy protest vs Ireland-Israel football matches

Yesterday, 15 July 2026, the London Irish Brigade held a protest outside Ireland’s embassy against the planned Ireland-Israel matches in the UEFA Nations League. The October 2026 fixtures will be held, after the Irish FA voted this month in favour of proceeding, in Hungary and, behind closed doors, in Serbia. Irish football fans, outraged at the idea of playing sport against a genocidal apartheid colony, have been protesting against the fixtures for months. And last night, Irish people living in London took the ‘Stop the Game’ protest loudly to their own embassy: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/london-irish-embassy-hb-1.mp4 Organiser Frank Glynn explained some of the background: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Glynn-Stop-Game-Embassy-hb.mp4…

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Messi turned walking into the deadliest weapon in modern football

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  • Post last modified:12 July 2026
Messi turned walking into the deadliest weapon in modern football

A viewer watching Lionel Messi for the first time might think the Argentine captain has drifted out of the match. He avoids constant pressing and chasing. Instead, he spends long periods walking or standing to watch his surroundings. This approach defies the high-tempo, continuous pressure demands of modern football. But behind this image that suggests calmness lies one of the most complex tactical ideas in the game. Walking is no longer just about conserving energy. It is now part of his philosophy for managing the game. He reads the play carefully before deciding when to act. This economy of movement allows…

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Irish football bosses continue Israel appeasement with vote to fulfil fixtures

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  • Post last modified:10 July 2026
Irish football bosses continue Israel appeasement with vote to fulfil fixtures

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has taken a fresh step towards historic ignominy by pushing through a vote to fulfil its Nations League fixtures against the genocidal apartheid entity of ‘Israel’. In a statement, the FAI explained: At an Extraordinary General Meeting on Wednesday, July 8th, members were asked to vote on the following ordinary motion: “While acknowledging the strength of feeling regarding support for Palestine and the upcoming UEFA Men’s Nations League fixtures, that the members recognise the profound impact that any non-fulfilment of UEFA fixtures would have on Irish football as a whole and on its future development,…

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Theatre, not football — commentary on Egypt vs Argentina

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  • Post last modified:9 July 2026
Theatre, not football — commentary on Egypt vs Argentina

The controversy that followed Egypt’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 did not stop with the objections of the Egyptian coaching staff; it extended to global coaches, refereeing experts, analysts, and even stars from outside football, in a rare scene where referee decisions and VAR technology became the headline of a match described as one of the most controversial in the tournament. With rising criticism, it seemed that the discussion was no longer about Argentina’s dramatic comeback, but about the consistency of VAR technology, after many felt that refereeing decisions changed the course of the…

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“Overturn this” — Belgian football team mocks Trump and US

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  • Post last modified:7 July 2026
“Overturn this” — Belgian football team mocks Trump and US

The Belgian football team has ‘cooked’ Donald Trump and the US on social media. Trump and craven FIFA president Gianni Infantino had scandalised the sporting world by arbitrarily overturning US striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension for his red card against Bosnia. But with most of the world cheering it on, a clearly fired-up Belgium hammered the US 4-1. “Overturn this” Belgium’s fourth goal was scored by veteran forward Romelu Lukaku. Then the official Belgian team account on X used Lukaku’s celebration in the ‘cooking’ recipe to mock the orange one and his FIFA lackey: The Belgium National Team’s official Twitter account just…

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Moroccan National Team — Now a global football power

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  • Post last modified:5 July 2026
Moroccan National Team — Now a global football power

The Moroccan national team no longer needs to be described as a “dark horse.” Its World Cup achievements are no longer fleeting surprises. Reaching the quarterfinals twice shows the “Atlas Lions” have arrived. Qatar 2022 was not their ceiling. It was the start of an integrated football project. They are now imposing themselves among the world’s elite. Fans once celebrated teams that surprised everyone and then left. Morocco broke this rule. They shifted from seeking recognition to being a respected contender. Opponents now prepare for them before every match. Title contenders? Morocco entered the Qatar World Cup outside the favorites circle.…

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World Cup proves success of team-first football

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  • Post last modified:5 July 2026
World Cup proves success of team-first football

World Cup tournaments are no longer determined by marquee names or trophy-laden cabinets, nor is a legacy of greatness enough to dominate the pitch. The 2026 World Cup confirms that football has entered a new era defined by collective organisation and tactical discipline. Today, less heralded teams possess the tools to challenge traditional powerhouses, often forcing them into grueling battles that last until the final whistle. The vast gap in technical skill that defined the game for decades has narrowed. The rapid spread of tactical knowledge across continents, combined with modern fitness regimes, has enabled players to press harder and maintain…

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Cape Verde national team — A football legacy

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  • Post last modified:4 July 2026
Cape Verde national team — A football legacy

Tournaments are not always measured by who lifts the trophy, nor are great stories confined to the identity of the winner. In every World Cup, a team emerges that leaves the competition early but leaves a deeper impact than many who continue on the path. At the 2026 World Cup, Cape Verde was that story. The journey ended with a 3-2 loss to Argentina after a match that extended into extra time, but the final whistle did not signal the collapse of a small team before the world champion, so much as it announced the birth of a new contender that…

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Black football players targets of racist abuse after missing penalties

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  • Post last modified:1 July 2026
Black football players targets of racist abuse after missing penalties

Black football players from the Dutch national team faced a wave of racist abuse after the team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on penalties. The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) strongly condemned the treatment suffered by Justin Kluivert, 27, Quinten Timber, 25, and Crysencio Summerville, 24, after they missed their penalties against Morocco. The association confirmed it would take legal action against the perpetrators, in a message reflecting the widespread concern within football circles over the rise in hate speech following major matches. Black football players blamed for team’s loss The match between the Netherlands and Morocco ended in a…

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Ghana coach slams 2026 World Cup: money has taken over football

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  • Post last modified:28 June 2026
Ghana coach slams 2026 World Cup: money has taken over football

Despite leading Ghana to the Round of 32 in the 2026 World Cup, Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz hasn’t hidden his frustration with this year’s tournament. He has voiced sharp criticism of the new 48-team format, arguing that the World Cup is losing its historical prestige and competitive edge. Speaking after Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final group stage match, Queiroz contended that expanding the field has diluted the exclusivity of qualifying — an achievement he says once required years of intense effort and fierce competition. The Portuguese coach questioned whether the tournament has actually gained value by adding more…

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Why major polluters need kicking out of football 

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  • Post last modified:27 June 2026
Why major polluters need kicking out of football 

With extreme weather and war wreaking havoc on football in communities around the world, the sport’s entanglement with fossil fuels further endangers the game itself… as well as players, fans and everyone else besides. But it doesn’t have to be this way, as a series of recent reports spell out. Players and pitches in peril Player safety has been a “hot topic” with this year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup underway. Climate Central estimates that the number of “extremely hot” June and July days in host cities has roughly tripled since North America last hosted the tournament in the 1990s. The heat…

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World Cup: First red card in football history for mouth covering

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  • Post last modified:20 June 2026
World Cup: First red card in football history for mouth covering

The 2026 World Cup witnessed the first sending-off in football history under the new law regarding covering the mouth during altercations between players, after the referee showed a direct red card to Paraguay national team player Miguel Almirón during the match against the Turkey national team. The decision came after a review by the VAR, which showed Almirón covering his mouth with his hand during a heated verbal exchange with a Turkish player, an action the referee deemed a clear violation of the amendment that came into effect a few months before the start of the tournament. World Cup new records…

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“Cynical act of deception” by Irish football bosses claiming Palestinian support for ‘Israel’ match

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  • Post last modified:19 June 2026
“Cynical act of deception” by Irish football bosses claiming Palestinian support for ‘Israel’ match

In a devastating humiliation for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), the Palestine Football Association (PFA) has said it never issued any statement backing the FAI’s decision to proceed with Ireland’s match against so-called ‘Israel’. This is despite the Irish football chiefs putting out a statement last week clearly intended to indicate the opposite. Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne described the FAI’s move as an “unforgivable cynical act of deception”. Byrne continued: What this clarification lays bare is a contemptible sleight of hand by the FAI – a sleight of hand that will be met by resistance by the football community…

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Algerian national team introduces Kansas to football – and they love it.

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  • Post last modified:16 June 2026
Algerian national team introduces Kansas to football – and they love it.

In news nobody saw coming, it would appear that the Algeria men’s football team are receiving a warm welcome at their World Cup base camp in Kansas. Americans don’t really get sport. They are famously terrible at most sports of note, after all. Presumably that’s why the make up their own rubbish games – American ‘football’ anyone? – and pretend that these sports have their own credible world championships. But times are a-changing in down in rootin-tootin Kansas… or something. A state is known for virtually nothing – except that old film about Dorothy and her dog and some wizard. Yet…

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“Adults never learn” — football star’s anti-genocide letter to kids

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  • Post last modified:14 June 2026
“Adults never learn” — football star’s anti-genocide letter to kids

Bosnians know about suffering genocide. It’s why they stood with the Palestinians against Israel before Bosnia’s first World Cup 2026 match. And, also ahead of Bosnia’s opening game against Canada, Bosnian football legend Edin Džeko wrote a letter to Bosnian children about it. Džeko wanted to talk to them about what it was like to survive genocide — and how its terrors are still seen now. He wrote: In the end, we survived. Looking back, I’m amazed at how strong we were. We were just little kids. But there was no point to the war. All those innocent people killed, and…

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US bars head of Palestinian Football Association from attending 2026 World Cup

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US bars head of Palestinian Football Association from attending 2026 World Cup

Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association, revealed that the United States denied his visa to attend the 2026 World Cup, despite his presence in Mexico City to participate in events for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), Rajoub was unable to obtain a U.S. entry visa. This prevented him from attending World Cup matches and official functions in his capacity as head of the Palestinian FA—events that heads of national federations typically attend during the tournament. Rajoub stated that football is supposed to be a…

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“Ethics more important”: Polish football club rejects Maccabi Tel Aviv transfer offer

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  • Post last modified:9 June 2026
“Ethics more important”: Polish football club rejects Maccabi Tel Aviv transfer offer

The owner of Polish football club Pogoń Szczecin has refused to discuss the sale of players to Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. Alex Haditaghi went further, comparing the idea of doing business with the club to trading with nazi Germany. In a post on X, Haditaghi said he had told the Israeli club he would not be talking to them about potential transfers for defenders Dmitri Keramitsis and Leo Borges. He said that football should represent “hope, respect, unity and humanity” and that: money, business, and opportunity must come second to conscience. Haditaghi made clear that he was referring to Israel’s…

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Spanish clubs top Forbes football rich list

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  • Post last modified:8 June 2026
Spanish clubs top Forbes football rich list

Spanish clubs have dominated the global football economy. Real Madrid are ranked the world’s most valuable club in 2026 and Barcelona is second, according to Forbes. Their latest ranking of the most valuable football clubs exposes the growing gap between Spain’s elite clubs and the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, the Premier League has more clubs in the rankings. Spanish clubs at the top Real Madrid remain top of the rankings for a fifth consecutive year, valued at around $9.5bn with revenues of $1.265bn. They are the first club in history to surpass $1.2bn annually. Much of that growth is credited to…

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