European Super Football

The draw for the League Phase of the 2024/2025 Champions League phase has been made. The four Premier League teams in UEFA Champions League recently discovered their eight league phase opponents as the draw was made in Monaco for the 36 participating clubs. Manchester City and Arsenal will each face Inter Milan and PSG. The 2024 Premier League champions will face Inter at home in a repeat of the 2022/23 final, while Arsenal will travel to Italy and vice versa for their matches with PSG. Last season's Premier League top two also face an additional two Italian opponents, with City also facing Juventus as Arsenal travel to Atalanta. Liverpool will face a tough draw, facing the champions of Spain and Germany, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, at home, while also travelling to RB Leipzig and AC Milan.   Aston Villa will face Bayern Munich, whom they beat in 1981 to win the European Cup and fans will be dreaming of glory nights once again. How does the new Champions League form

Anderlecht 0-1 West Ham United West Ham move closer to qualification from their UEFA Europa Conference League group They away side left it moderately late to get the only goal, a well-worked one finished off by Scamacca. The Hammers were indebted to a wonderful stop from Areola shortly afterwards. It was an entertaining game between two sides. Let's have a look at some of the best reaction One reporter said: "Anderlecht looked to spark something when Raman came on – but it was the visitors' substitutes that sealed the match. Rice, Lucas Paqueta and Scamacca all involved in the goal that won it for the visitors, well finished by the latter. A deserved win for West Ham." West Ham manager David Moyes told the UEFA website: "I am incredibly proud of the team's performance. We both created chances but we definitely created the better ones. So I feel we deserved to win tonight. We can go to the next game at home with full confidence." West Ham midfielder Fl

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Divock Origi will leave the club in the summer. The 27-year-old Belgium striker is out of contract at the end of the season, having not played enough games this term to trigger a one-year extension to the deal. Origi has been linked with AC Milan and a number of other clubs across Europe.  This Guardian report seems to indicate that he has agreed a move to the San Siro.  Divock Origi agrees to join Milan when Liverpool contract expires this summer | Liverpool | The Guardian This video from YouTube user  Luke Galea  explores some of his best moments at the Anfield club. Despite scoring some memorable goals for the club, he has been unable to hold a regular place. This has been exemplified by the fact he has only featured in 35 matches over the last two seasons. He could still play a part in Liverpool's dramatic end to the season. He could add another Premier League and Champions League winners medal to the one's listed below. Pre

Luis Figo is our latest icon to feature on European Super Football. Figo's journey to becoming a global superstar was remarkable.  With his immense skill, versatility, and unmatched determination, Figo etched his name in football history and left an indelible mark on the sport. In this article, we will delve into the career of this legendary footballer, also exploring one of the most controversial transfers of all time. Shining at Sporting  Figo's passion for football was evident from a young age. He joined the youth team of Sporting Lisbon, one of the renowned Portuguese clubs. His exceptional performances in the youth setup quickly caught the attention of scouts, and at just 16 years old, he made his debut for the senior team. Luis Figo in his Sporting Lisbon days is one of the greatest finds ever. pic.twitter.com/RV3ComIvLE — Old Days Football (@OldDaysFootball) March 22, 2016 The Sporting Lisbon days helped Figo hone his skills and build a strong foundation. His t

It's time to have another look at an icon from the history of football. This time it's Michael Ballack. A former German midfielder who played at the highest level of the game.  A summary Ballack is among the top goal scorers in the history of the German national team. During his career, he won the German Footballer of the Year award three times. The midfielder was known for his passing range, powerful shot, physical strength and commanding presence in midfield. The one negative from his career was that he never won the Champions League. He did pick up two runner-up medals in 2002 with Leverkusen and 2008 with Chelsea.  The start of his career Ballack's career started to take off when he was transferred to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club, his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for the German national side. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4

Semi-final first leg: Real Madrid 1 - 1 Manchester City A screamer from Kevin de Bruyne earned Manchester City a Champions League semi-final first-leg draw at Real Madrid. Manchester City know that any win at home against Madrid will send them to only their second Champions League final, against either Inter Milan or AC Milan. Will Manchester City win The Treble this season? Click here to read all the latest news and stories from The Etihad Stadium. Let's now explore all the best reaction. Luka Modric said: “We put in a good performance, the tie is still open." Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti added: "We deserved to win it.” 🏁 FT: @realmadriden 1-1 @ManCity ⚽ @vinijr 36'; De Bruyne 67' #UCL pic.twitter.com/OlMvSwn2tI — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 9, 2023 One Twitter user replied: " Happy that we stopped Haaland. However, we could have done better. Lets hope for the best in the second-leg." Andy is a City fan who is conflicted

Another day and another look at a football icon.  This time it's Edgar Davids. The Dutch midfielder won several trophies throughout an eventful career. Summary of his career After beginning his career with Ajax, winning several domestic and international titles, he subsequently played in Italy for Milan, and later enjoyed a successful spell with Juventus, before being loaned out to Barcelona in 2004. He went on to play for Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Ajax. Having struggled with injuries for two years, Davids returned to competitive football during a brief spell with Crystal Palace before retiring at the age of 37. In 2012, he was appointed player-manager at the English League Two club Barnet. He resigned by mutual agreement as a manager in January 2014.  He was capped 74 times by the Netherlands. He also scored six goals for his country represented his country at major tournaments.  Davids is regarded as one of the greatest and most recognisable player

Netherlands 5 - 2 Bosnia-Herzegovina New Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee scored his first goal for the Netherlands as they scored Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Nations League. United's summer signing from Bologna who was only winning his third cap, netted a fine flicked header following Xavi Simons' deflected shot. Ermedin Demirovic levelled for the away side with a first-time finish from Denis Huseinbasic's through ball in Eindhoven.  But Zirkzee then picked out Tijjani Reijnders to put the hosts ahead again in first-half injury time. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo then scored a third. He slid the ball into an empty net from Reijnders' low drive across the six-yard box. Former Manchester City and Inter Milan strimer Edin Dzeko did give the Bosnians some hope after he scored his 66th international goal  Wout Weghorst, who also has a connection with Manchester United, came on for Zirkzee and scored the Netherlands' fourth, before Simons eventually wrapped up an

 It's time to explore another football icon Mark Hughes is a Welsh football coach and former player of many clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. He is the manager of Bradford City. From Old Trafford and then to Barca, Bayern and back During his playing career, he operated as a forward or midfielder. He had two spells at Manchester United. His first spell at Old Trafford came between 1980 and 1986 when he won the FA Cup in 1985. In 1986, he moved to Barcelona but this time wasn't a success for Hughes. It was during this time when had a loan spell with Bayern Munich.  In 1988, he returned to Old Trafford and had a very successful 7 years. He won the FA Cup twice, the Premier League twice, League Cup and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup. He finally left in 1995. Part of the reason for his departure was the development of the Class of 92 at Manchester United.The video below contains a good insight into his time at Old Trafford. For a period, he was up there as on

 Let's explore how a dramatic day in Germany resulted in Dortmund missing out on the title in a heartbreaking fashion. 1. FC Köln 1 - 2 Bayern Munich How did this match unfold? It was a very dramatic end. Cologne penalty had cancelled out Kingsley Coman's earlier strike, but an 89th minute winner from Musiala sent the away fans wild. Many Bayern fans probably feared they had blown their opportunity when Cologne's Dejan Ljubicic levelled from the penalty spot with just nine minutes remaining. It was at this time when Dortmund were still chasing a goal but Bayern's win meant they had done all they can. Once their match ended, the attention of everyone turned to what was going on in Dortmund.  You can find more news and stories from across Germany by clicking here. Borussia Dortmund 2 - 2 Mainz 05 Dortmund led by two points going into the final day but a 2-2 draw at home to Mainz allowed Bayern to win the title in dramatic circumstances.  You’ll never walk alone time - a

 Let's explore Barcelona's 2023/2024 campaign In addition to La Liga, Barca also took part in the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, and UEFA Champions League. Throughout the season, Barcelona played their home matches at the Estadi Olímpic due to the redevelopment of the Nou Camp. This season was notable as the first without captain Sergio Busquets, who departed the club after 18 years (including 15 years in the first team since the 2007–08 season) as a free agent in the summer. It was also the first full season without Gerard Piqué, who retired before the winter World Cup, and the first since 2011–12 without left-back Jordi Alba, who mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year early. Elsewhere, Barcelona finished as runners-up in the Supercopa de España and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Athletic Bilbao, losing in extra time. In the league, they were unable to defend last season's title, ending the season in second

This article will explore the impact of Beckham in the MLS Since he made his debut for Manchester United in 1992, David Beckham has become a worldwide icon. This is down to his footballing ability and earned incredible success. His off-the-field activities have also turned him into a huge celebrity.  Ownership of Inter Miami and playing career in the United States David Beckham helped set up a new Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise in Inter Miami. His development from player to club owner started when he moved to La Galaxy in 2007.  Mike Randolph, a young player with the Galaxy when Beckham joined spoke with the media about David's impact in LA. Randolph was struck by the Englishman’s normality. Many have suggested that Beckham has played a huge part in expanding the popularity of football or soccer in the country.  David Beckham's best moment with LA Galaxy in the MLS came in 2011 when they clinched the MLS Cup. This marked a crowning achievement in his American journey

Edward Paul Sheringham, known by most as Teddy Sheringham, is another football icon.  He played mostly as a second striker in a long and eventful professional career. Early career He began his career at Millwall, where he scored 111 goals between 1983 and 1991. The forward is the club's second all-time leading scorer. He eventually left to join First Division Nottingham Forest. A year later, Sheringham scored Forest's first-ever Premiership goal. Move to Tottenham  Not long after that goal for Forest, he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur.  Sheringham had a great start to his career at the club by being the Premiership's top goalscorer in its inaugural season, scoring 22 goals. His strike partners at White Hart Lane included Gordon Durie, Ronny Rosenthal, Jürgen Klinsmann and finally Chris Armstrong.  In 1993–94, he was the Spurs top scorer with 14 Premiership goals but only played in just 19 games due to injury. In that campaign, they finished 15th.  The following sea

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, commonly known as Ronaldo, is our latest football icon.  He played for some of the world's biggest clubs and was a huge icon during the 1990's and 2000's. A brief introduction to 'The Phenomenon'. Nicknamed The Phenomenon and R9, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo had a huge impact on a generation of forwards and attacking players that followed him. His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning the Ballon d'Or twice. <More football icons> The start of his career. He started at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then-world record transfer fee, and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. Despite being a fan favourite and developing an affinity with the clu

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

Borussia Dortmund 2 - 1 PSV  (Borussia Dortmund won 3-1 on aggregate) Borussia Dortmund made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in three years, thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus against PSV Eindhoven. Sancho fired in a powerful shot from the edge of the box early in the game to put Dortmund in the lead. Despite another goal being disallowed due to offside, Reus capitalised on a mistake by PSV in stoppage time, securing the win with a one-on-one finish against PSV's goalkeeper, Walter Benitez. More Champions League news PSV had several chances to level the score, with Hirving Lozano missing opportunities. Peter Bosz's team, comfortably leading the Eredivisie, paid the price for their missed chances. Lozano, who came on as a substitute, missed the target from close range and also failed to convert from distance. 🤩 #FridayVibes = @woodyinho vs. PSV. ⚽💪 #UCL | @BVB | @BlackYellow pic.twitter.com/SXH3xPfGkr — UEFA.com DE (

Iceland 1 - 1 France Iceland saw their Euro 2022 tournament come to an end, despite snatching a late draw against France as Belgium won in the other group game to claim second place in Group D. Dagny Brynjarsdottir converted a penalty in the 12th minute of stoppage time after a spot kick was awarded by the Video Assistant Referee following a tangle inside the area. However, Belgium's 1-0 win against Italy meant it counted for nothing as Iceland finished a point behind them in third place. You can watch highlights in the video below. Footage from BBC Sport.  BBC Sport - YouTube   A much-changed France side made the perfect start in this game as they took the lead after just 46 seconds when Melvine Malard struck, stroking home from Clara Mateo's pass. That scoreline was still enough to see Iceland go through, provided the other game ended goalless, but that hope was extinguished when Tine de Caigny gave Belgium victory against Italy.  A disappointing end to the tournament for

Celtic kept alive their Europa League knockout hopes with a hard-fought win over the Hungarian champions Ferencvaros. Kyogo Furuhashi slid home the opener from a sublime Jota pass after a frustrating first half. Balint Vecsei's unfortunate own goal final confirmed Celtic's win after Callum McGregor's had previously missed a penalty. Celtic's defeats against Real Betis and Bayer Leverkusen meant they had to win this match to have any chance of progressing in the competition. This was something acknowledged by manager Ange Postecoglou before the match. Click here for more Celtic news Some stats for you Celtic have won six of their eight matches at home to Hungarian opponents in all European competitions (D1 L1), keeping a clean sheet in four of their last five such games. A stat provided from the BBC:  Celtic have now ended a run of fourteen Europa League matches without a clean sheet. They recordedone for the first time since October 2019 at home to CFR Cluj. The Glasg

Would Paulo Dybala be a good fit at Stamford Bridge? Reports across Europe believe that Chelsea do intend to join the pursuit of soon-to-be free agent Paulo Dybala once the club's protracted takeover has been resolved. Following a long period of negotiations, the Argentinian forward has rejected Juventus' most recent contract earlier this year, and most believe he will now leave Turin in the summer after seven glittering years in Turin. Further rumours indicate that Juve's decision not to improve their proposal was motivated by the January arrival of Dusan Vlahovic and the Serb's terrific start to life with the Bianconeri. Despite the 28-year-old's fitness issues over recent time, several leading European sides have been linked with a free transfer, including Juve's Serie A rivals Inter and Atletico Madrid in La Liga. One Chelsea fan told us: "This would be a fantastic signing for us!" Other news and rumours It has also been reported in additional

England’s squad to take on Malta and North Macedonia in June’s Euro 2024 qualifiers has been named by Gareth Southgate. England's next internationals start with a trip to Malta for the first match on Friday 16th June.  They then travel to Manchester, where North Macedonia will be the opposition at Old Trafford on Monday 19th June. Among the list of players mentioned, you will see Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. This would be his first senior call-up. The former Millwall and QPR youngster had previously been capped at Under 21s level.  In a statement on the England Football website, it is confirmed that: "The majority of the squad will report to St. George’s Park to begin their preparations for the games on Monday 12 June, while players involved with their clubs at UEFA European Finals will join at a later date." Euro 2024 Qualifying (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The England squad in full Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsd