European Super Football

Ahead of England's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, let's take a look at some of England's most memorable moments at this stage of the competition. This article was originally posted on News Ball UK. Click here to read. Italy 0 - 0 England - Qualification for France 98 is secured England only needed a point from their final match to qualify for the following summer's World Cup. Easier said than done when that final match is Italy away.  A battling and sometimes heroic display from the Three Lions earned them a 0-0 draw and qualification was secured. Not a lot of flair from the attacking players but the point was well deserved. Watch some of the highlights from the game in the video below. Germany 1 - 5 England - Even Heskey scored Germany had beaten England at the start of the end of the qualifying campaign. A disappointing end to the reign of Kevin Keegan and an awful way to say goodbye to the old Wembley Stadium. England gained their revenge though. Before this game,

Lets look at what all the newspapers are saying across the continent. The rumour mill is rather busy at the moment.  Premier League rumours and stories Liverpool are reportedly ready to trigger the £75m release clause in Sevilla and France defender Jules Kounde's contract this month, with Chelsea and Real Madrid also interested in him. Chelsea's German defender Antonio Rudiger, out of contract in the summer and yet to sign a new deal with the European champions, is said to prefer a move to Real Madrid over Paris St-Germain if he leaves London.  Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani has committed himself to Manchester United for the rest of the season after talks with boss Ralf Rangnick. In terms of incoming players, United have discussed a move for Borussia Monchengladbach's Denis Zakaria this month. They are yet to make a bid for the Swiss midfielder.  FA Cup: Man United hold on to beat Aston Villa  Newcastle's hopes of signing defender Sven Botman during the January tran

The UEFA Nations League is still a fairly new idea. It is a biennial international football competition contested by the member associations of UEFA. The last edition of the competition was won by France. You can read about it here. UEFA Nations League: Spain 1 - 2 France (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Ahead of a busy year of international football, nations are now preparing for the next edition of the competition. Here are the UEFA Nations League groups in full. We have highlighted some of the more interesting groups. Group A1: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France. Group A2: Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain. Group A3: Hungary, England, Germany, Italy. England have faced all of these sides in recent times. They beat Germany in a memorable Euro 2020 last-16 match before eventually losing to Italy in the final of the same competition. More recently, they beat Hungary in a World Cup qualifier. England manager Gareth Southgate believes that the tough Nations League group is

England are off to next year's World Cup in Qatar. They have qualified for their seventh consecutive World Cup, their longest ever run of reaching successive World Cup tournaments.  Six goals in the first-half that included four from Harry Kane made the prospect of double figures possible and the England players obliged. One fan who was in San Marino for the match has just told us: "Job done. A lovely trip and nice to see score us a few goals. Is football coming home in time for Christmas 2022?" Watch below to see a video of the 10th goal that England scored on the night. Making it 🔟 @TrentAA 🤜🤛 @BukayoSaka87 pic.twitter.com/6eWRSuaZV0 — England (@England) November 15, 2021 Harry Kane told ITV Sport: "Fantastic. It came to the last game and we were expected to win tonight but we've done a good job. Fantastic to go through." "Every time I wear an England shirt I am proud and when I score goals it is one of the nicest feelings I can have in my ca

Benfica 0 - 2 Inter Milan Romelu Lukaku scored an 82nd-minute penalty as Inter Milan put themselves in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League after a deserved win away to Benfica. Nicolo Barella's downward header gave Inter the lead in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon. Benfica struggled to dictate play in front of their own fans as Inter produced a defensive masterclass in Lisbon. This was almost reminiscent of their 2010 triumph with Jose Mourinho.  <Click here to find more news and stories from across Italy> Rafa Silva was denied by Andre Onana's first-half save before Inter's Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries produced a crucial block from close range as Benfica pushed for an equaliser. The Italian visitors wrapped up their win when substitute Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, scored from the spot after former Inter player Joao Mario handled. Premier League referee Michael Oliver awarded the penalty after watching the incide

 Wales 3 - 1 Belgium (Euro 2016) Let's explore another iconic moment from the European Championships. Wales recorded the greatest night in their football history as they came from a goal down to beat Belgium at Euro 2016. Radja Nainggolan put Belgium ahead in Lille with a stunning 25-yard strike but Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from a corner to equalise in a breathless first half littered with chances at both ends. Welsh celebrations reached stratospheric levels when Hal Robson-Kanu, a striker without a club at the time, gave them the lead with a divine turn and finish. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996) After withstanding late Belgium pressure, Wales sealed victory through a header from substitute Sam Vokes to set up a semi-final against Portugal and what many believed would be a mouth-watering duel between Gareth Bale and his former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Wales manager Chris Coleman later described the last-eight tie as W

 AC Milan 1 - 2 Inter Milan Inter Milan secured their 20th Serie A title by beating Milan in a fiery derby showdown at San Siro. This victory propelled Simone Inzaghi’s squad to an insurmountable lead in the league standings. Goals from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram in each half were enough to seal Inter’s win, with Fikayo Tomori finding the net late in the game to narrow the scoreline. The match was marked by three players receiving red cards in stoppage time, leading to Milan finishing the game with only nine players due to escalating tensions. Theo Hernández and Davide Calabria were sent off alongside Inter’s Denzel Dumfries. With five league matches now left, Inter holds a commanding 17-point lead over second-placed Milan . The San Siro was full of fans from both teams, with Inter supporters proudly displaying two stars to signify their imminent 20th Scudetto triumph, sending a clear message to their rivals: "Our destiny, your nightmare." The game got off t

 AC Milan have completed the signing of Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea on a four-year contract. The two clubs did not disclose the fee involved. However, it has been reported that Milan will pay £15m plus add-ons. The 27-year-old had been at Stamford Bridge since he was a youth player. He has scored seven goals in 155 club appearances, winning two Premier League titles, the Europa League and the Uefa Super Cup. The midfielder has also had loans at Crystal Palace and Fulham where he made an additional 54 Premier League appearances. It has already been a busy summer of outgoings for Chelsea. They have sold Kai Havertz to Arsenal and Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City. Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli, and N'Golo Kante has agreed a deal with fellow Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. What are people saying about the move?  Lauren, a Chelsea fan, was sad to see him go. She said: "When he played for Sarri he looked like the real deal. He su

Gareth Southgate's England have arrived in Germany, facing a crucial test to determine if they are genuine contenders or simply a team that falters when it matters most. Southgate’s tenure – whether it concludes at the end of Euro 2024 or continues beyond – should always be assessed against the chaos he inherited.  Appointed permanently in November 2016, Southgate has since led England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final, and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals. World Cup 2022: How England's journey came to an end  As the England players settle into their base in Germany, there is much to be hopeful about. Southgate has fostered a positive atmosphere within the squad, with players now enjoying representing their country without the heavy burden of expectations. He has also rekindled a sense of goodwill from the fans and the wider public towards the team and himself. This tournament carries a sense of urgency – a ‘now or never’ moment – following the World C

AC Milan 3 - 1  Roma AC Milan moved closer to Serie A leaders Inter Milan to a point after a home win over Roma. The hosts took an early lead when Olivier Giroud converted a penalty following a handball by his former Chelsea team-mate Tammy Abraham. They made it 2-0 when Junior Messias' followed up after Giroud hit the post. The England striker Abraham pulled one back, steering in Lorenzo Pellegrini's shot, but substitute Rafael Leao broke clear to score Milan's third goal and seal the win. More progress for AC Milan After a long period without success, Milan are starting to look like a team that can challenge again. Olivier Giroud is really starting to look like an inspired signing. Where will they end up at the end of this campaign? Reaction The match was spoken about across the world, not just in Italy. Jose Mourinho was not happy and his comments were discussed in great detail. He spoke about being offered the AC Milan job at one point "I was offered the Milan jo

England 2 - 1 Slovakia Jude Bellingham saved England from an early exit in Euro 2024 against Slovakia on Sunday with a breathtaking equaliser in the 95th minute.  Harry Kane then secured their place in the quarterfinals with a winner early in extra time, sealing a 2-1 victory. Slovakia started the match much brighter and gave England several warnings before Ivan Schranz skillfully placed the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 25th minute. England, who will next face Switzerland, had a history of comebacks in their last three Euro matches where they conceded first, including the previous tournament's semifinal. They thought they had equalised shortly after the break, but Phil Foden was clearly offside before he tapped the ball into the net. Kane, unusually, headed a Foden free kick wide, and Declan Rice hit the post as Slovakia were pushed deep into their own half. However, England seemed to lack confidence, and their fans grew increasingly frustrated. Bellingham, cele

 Juventus 0 - 1 AC Milan Olivier Giroud scored the winner as AC Milan qualified for next season's Champions League with a narrow win against Juventus. The defeat ended Juve's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. The home side started the match aggressively, knowing that only a win was good enough to maintain their slim hopes of securing a top-four finish. Massimiliano Allegri made enforced changes to his team as their star striker and top scorer Dusan Vlahovic was sidelined.  Davide Calabria crossed from the right for the France striker to head in the winner for the Rossoneri. Alexis Saelemaekers had a low shot saved by Wojciech Szczesny as Milan probed for a second goal. Click here to find more AC Milan news and stories. Milan have now completed a league double against Juventus for just the third time in the last 50 years. They are now secure in fourth place, with Inter, Lazio and champions Napoli having already qualified for next season's Champions League. Aft

It's time to have a look at another football icon.  This is a slightly altered version of an article first published here on Greater Manchester Football. (Gullit played for Sampdoria between 1993 and 1995) Ruud Gullit is a Dutch legend who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. Early career In 1978, Gullit signed professionally for HFC Haarlem. He made 91 league appearances for Haarlem and scored 32 goals. He made his debut for the club at just 16 years old, becoming at the time the youngest player in the history of the Eredivisie. In his first season at the club, they finished bottom of the Eredivisie, but bounced back the following season winning the Eerste Divisie. Gullit was named as the best player in the Eerste Divisie that season. Click here to read about more football icons In the 1981–82 season, Gullit was in fine form as Haarlem finished fourth and qualified for Europe for the only time in their history.  First two transfers The young Gullit was considered as a

 Empoli 0 - 2 Napoli Napoli's impressive form carries on A goal by striker Victor Osimhen and an own goal by Empoli defender Ardian Ismajli earned Napoli a 2-0 away win in Serie A on Saturday. This extended their lead over second-placed Inter Milan to an incredible 18 points. The league leaders dominated the clash from kick-off and pushed mid-table Empoli enough to pressure Ismajli into opening the scoring with an own goal in the 17th minute. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sent a lofted pass from the edge of the box to midfielder Piotr Zielinski who saw Osimhen in front of goal but before his cross could reach the striker, Ismajli put the ball in. It was then 2-0 around eleven minutes ater. Osimhen tapped in a rebound from close range after Empoli keeper Guglielmo Vicario had parried a strike by Kvaratskhelia right into the Nigerian's path. 𝓩𝓲𝓮𝓵𝓸 🤹‍♂️ #EmpoliNapoli 0-1 pic.twitter.com/0z02RONHe8 — Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) February 25, 2023 Fan reaction  We managed t

Is it coming home for England or will Qatar mean more years of hurt? They were so close in both World Cup 2018 and the Euro 2020/2021 tournaments. They lost out to Croatia in the last World Cup, this was followed by a devastating penalty loss to Italy last year in the Euro 2020 final. Their female counterparts brought football home this summer by beating Germany in the final of Euro 2022. A repeat of that success will be crucial for the men's team. There is no doubt that the squad is talented and motivated. They just need to make the final step and get the trophy. Read a report on how England's female football talent won a major trophy -  Women's Euro 2022: England win after dramatic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The final squad has been announced after a lot of debate. Do you agree with the England manager's picks? Video credit -  The Telegraph - YouTube Reaction to the squad announcement Before we explore England's chances, let's explore the reacti

 Napoli 5 - 1 Juventus Goals from Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Amir Rrahmani, Victor Osimhen and Eljif Elmas earned a memorable 5-1 victory for Napoli. The visitors from Turin were roundly jeered by home supporters in Naples when they appeared. Juventus had won eight straight games without conceding a goal and were also able to hand Federico Chiesa his first start since tearing his cruciate ligament over a year ago. More news from Itaaly>>> However, Napoli took the lead in the 14th minute. Wojciech Szczesny brilliantly parried an acrobatic shot from Kvaratskhelia but Osimhen headed in the rebound, the first goal Juventus had conceded in 770 minutes. Napoli never looked like losing the game, even when Angel Di Maria pulled a goal a few minutes before half-time For all their problems, Juventus had only conceded seven in the top flight this season beforehand and sit third, level on points with second-placed AC Milan. However, this was a breathless Napoli display, one

Middlesbrough 3 - 4 Leeds United  Promotion-chasing Leeds United climbed to second in the Championship after a thrilling and sensational victory at Middlesbrough that ended their three-game winless run. The match has left us all with one question. Which two out of Leeds, Leicester and Ipswich will be successful at the end of the season. We have previously examined  who's getting promoted to the Premier League? Let's explore a night of drama in Middlesbrough Boro took an early lead when Isaiah Jones tucked in a loose ball, but Leeds quickly levelled through Crysencio Summerville's penalty. Leeds were then in front just four minutes later when Patrick Bamford scored Junior Firpo's wicked cross from the left. In-form Emmanuel Latte Lath then scored for Boro to level the proceedings with a thumping right-footed finish from 18 yards. Willy Gnonto finished well after being played in by Summerville to put Leeds 3-2 up at the break, although replays showed the Italy forward

 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0  AC Milan (Aggregate 0 - 1) Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League campaign ended in disappointing fashion as they failed to overturn a first-leg deficit against AC Milan. Our write-up of a brilliant night in London 👉 https://t.co/ACYqFrO5iG Il nostro racconto di una splendida notte londinese 👉 https://t.co/LyRQnQbeei #TOTACM #UCL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/Xks6RzSEzZ — AC Milan (@acmilan) March 8, 2023 The home side paid the price for another passive start that allowed Milan to settle into their task. This misery for Spurs was complete when Cristian Romero was sent off late on after receiving a second yellow card for a wild challenge on Theo Hernandez. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg tested AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan with a powerful second-half shot and Harry Kane headed wide, but Spurs failed to mount sustained pressure on the Italian defence. Lads, it's Spurs news from European Super Football>>> There wasn't much in the way of late

This player might be Brazilian, but like his friend Ronaldo, his impact across Europe was huge.  Icons: Ronaldo (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Let's explore Rivaldo's fantastic career A brief introduction Rivaldo played mainly as an attacking midfielder. However, he was also used as a second striker and occasionally as a wide midfielder or a winger. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, and powerful ball striking from a distance. Rivaldo also had the ability to both score and create goals. In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. With his huge success, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. Early career  He started his career in 1991 with Brazilian club Santa Cruz, moving on to spells at Mogi Mirim, a loan spell at Corinthians, and Palmeiras. People across the major European leagues were impressed, and it was inevitable that a move was

As the Summer Transfer Window gets closer, let's explore some of the more interesting rumours. It's already looking like it's going to be a busy Summer.  Bayern Munich interested in Mason Mount Reports across the UK and Germany suggest that Bayern are considering taking advantage of Mason Mount’s contract stalemate at Chelsea by making a move for the England international this summer. Mount will have only one year remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed Bayern head coach and former Chelsea fan, is said to be a strong admirer of Mount.  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Manchester United want Harry Kane Manchester United are preparing to make an £80m bid for Tottenham and England forward Harry Kane after Richard Arnold sanctioned a potential deal. Kane has had a remarkable few months and is Tottenham's all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the highest scorer for the England natio