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DAVE SHOPLAND / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Arsenal’s Declan Rice (centre) said he and his teammates are ready to make a “massive statement” against Manchester City on Sunday.

Arsenal sputtering? There’s a joke for that

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Apr. 17, 2026

“What’s the difference between Arsenal and a book? A book has a title.”

Sure, go ahead and laugh. Everyone’s having a bit of fun — even Arsenal fans, albeit in a morbid sense. But let’s none of us quit our day jobs, especially when the jokes write themselves.

Like the one last weekend, when the Gunners lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth. Although, with The Cherries in 13th place prior to kickoff, it seemed inevitable that the host’s luck was about to run out.

Only, luck had little to do with what happened at Emirates Stadium (which is apparently the ideal landing spot for aliens, as it has no atmosphere). Nor was Bournemouth, despite its victory, the protagonist of the story.

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THIBAULT CAMUS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
New Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi’s hyped-up, drill-sergeant style isn’t likely to mesh well with Spurs’ semi-fit, injury-prone and psychologically brittle players, Jerrad Peters writes.

De Zerbi wrong fit for sliding Spurs

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

De Zerbi wrong fit for sliding Spurs

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Apr. 10, 2026

When Tottenham Hotspur visits Sunderland on Sunday (8:00 a.m., FuboTV), the North London outfit and Europa League holders will have gone 105 days without a win in the Premier League.

Count them back, and it takes you into last year. Thomas Frank was still in charge when, three days after Christmas, Archie Gray delivered a 1-0 triumph away to Crystal Palace. That was two managers and a lifetime ago. Back when there was hope, even if just a bit.

Oh, to be 11th again.

When the opening whistle blows at the Stadium of Light, Spurs will be in the relegation places — leapfrogged by West Ham, which beat dead-last Wolves on Friday.

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Friday, Apr. 10, 2026

CHRIS YOUNG / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Canada’s Tani Oluwaseyi leaps over Tunisia’s Omar Rekik during the teams’ 0-0 draw on Tuesday. The way all three World Cup co-hosts — Canada, the United States and Mexico — have played recently has raised the concern that the second knockout stage may be as far as the co-hosts can reasonably advance.

All signs pointing to bloated boondoggle of a World Cup

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

All signs pointing to bloated boondoggle of a World Cup

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Apr. 3, 2026

Canada’s senior men’s soccer team dropped one place to 30th in the latest FIFA ranking, released Wednesday.

Now, rankings, like political polls, are snapshots in time and tell us little about how a group of players — affected by injuries, returns from injuries, new call-ups and individual streaks of form, good or bad — will fare against Uzbekistan on June 1, for example, or against Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 days later in a home World Cup.

The United States, too, dropped a spot to 16th, swapping places with Mexico, now in 15th. Again, these numbers are not informed by rigorous data, so we can’t read too much into them.

What we can do, however, is examine recent results and anticipate what FIFA would consider its World Cup nightmare: the tournament’s North American co-hosts crashing out at the group stage.

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Friday, Apr. 3, 2026

Antonio Calanni / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Italy’s Moise Kean (left) and teammate Francesco Pio Esposito celebrate after Kean scored Italy’s second goal during the World Cup semifinal qualifying match Thursday against Northern Ireland.

Italy looking to avoid third straight shut out of World Cup

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Italy looking to avoid third straight shut out of World Cup

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Mar. 27, 2026

You get the feeling that Italy will have more on the line than World Cup qualification when its men’s national team faces Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday (1:45 p.m. CT, DAZN).

“Feeling” is the operative word here.

The Azzurri feel they must prevail in Zenica, about an hour northwest of Sarajevo, as defeat would mean omission from a third successive World Cup finals. Victory, the only tenable result, would merely deliver the bare minimum: a berth in the tournament’s Group B and an opener against co-host Canada.

Far from excitement, the prospect of that June 12 match in Toronto would generate a neutral feeling in a country with four World Cups to its name. It would be an improvement. Beat the Canadians, and it would begin to feel familiar; beat Switzerland six days later and it would start to feel almost warm.

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Friday, Mar. 27, 2026

IAN WALTON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Arsenal’s star player Declan Rice (centre) isn’t flashy, but a defensive midfielder with a penchant for involvement in set-piece goals.

Carabao Cup final a tale of two footy clubs

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

Carabao Cup final a tale of two footy clubs

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 20, 2026

Sunday’s Carabao Cup final could be the start of something, the end of something, or both.

Let’s start with, well, the start.

Still competing in all four competitions, Arsenal could kick off quite a memorable spring by beating Manchester City at Wembley (11:30 a.m., DAZN). Not counting Community Shields — because, who does? — a win would give the Gunners their first trophy in six years and perhaps be a springboard to bigger and better near-term triumphs.

Next up after Sunday will be an April 4th trip to Southampton in the sixth round of the FA Cup. Arsenal is the tournament’s record winner, and it would no doubt like to add a 15th replica to the cabinet. But if it ends up beating City, this is the competition it could sacrifice as it contends on more prestigious fronts.

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Friday, Mar. 20, 2026

DAVE THOMPSON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko shakes hands with coach Michael Carrick.

Carrick leads revitalized Red Devils into crucial Villa match

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Carrick leads revitalized Red Devils into crucial Villa match

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

Had Manchester United been offered a single match with Champions League football at stake when the season kicked off, it would have taken a pass. After all, it had come up short in that exact scenario against Tottenham Hotspur in May.

Aston Villa, on the other hand, would’ve jumped at the chance. A late-winter meltdown had seen it throw away its place in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, and a one-off showdown might have sharpened its focus.

Well, the Birmingham side will get the closest thing to a 90-minute playoff when it visits Old Trafford on Sunday (9:00 a.m., FuboTV).

With nine games to go, United and Villa are tied for third in the Premier League. Neither will finish higher than that, but Chelsea and Liverpool are just three points behind and awaiting a slip-up to nab one or both of England’s four guaranteed Champions League spots.

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Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

VAHID SALEMI / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Iran’s Mehdi Taremi (center) scores his side’s second goal against Uzbekistan during the World Cup qualifying match in Tehran last year. The Iranian soccer team booked their ticket to the 2026 World Cup with the draw against Uzbekistan last March.

War in Iran further exacerbates logistics of 2026 World Cup

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

War in Iran further exacerbates logistics of 2026 World Cup

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Earlier this week, FIFA World Cup countdown clocks passed from three to two digits. There’s now just 90-odd days until the event — set to take place in Canada, Mexico and the United States — kicks off in Mexico City.

But what if it was scheduled to start, say, tomorrow? It’s a frightening exercise.

Only a week ago, a World Cup co-host attacked a World Cup-qualified nation that posed no imminent threat. (It’s a wretched way to describe the United States’ military strike on Iran, but one that’s going to be increasingly germane as that countdown approaches zero.)

The war — and yes, it’s a war — has since seen at least 13 additional countries sustain bombardments, mostly from retaliatory Iranian missiles. Three of them (Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) will be sending their senior men’s soccer teams to North America this spring.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Sevilla’s head coach Matias Almeyda (Jose Breton / The Associated Press)

Relaxed Real Betis ready for Sevilla challenge

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Relaxed Real Betis ready for Sevilla challenge

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

You can make a pretty safe guess, based solely on pre-game preparations, as to which of Seville’s football clubs is the most frantic, and which the most confident, ahead of Sunday’s Gran Derbi (11:30 a.m., TSN+).

Sevilla FC manager Matías Almeyda — currently serving a seven-match ban after confronting the officials in a 1-1 draw with Alavés earlier this month — gave his players a rare Tuesday off, and he broke with tradition when he held his final practice of the week behind closed doors.

City rival Real Betis Balompié, meanwhile, enjoyed a combined squad-staff lunch on Thursday, and manager Manuel Pellegrini’s Friday training session was open to the public.

There’s no hiding it. Sevilla, just five points above the relegation places, is panicking. Betis, presently fifth in La Liga, is chilling. And it wants its opponent to know it’s chilling.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

LUCA BRUNO / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez leads the league in goals. The club has now spent 10 week in first place going into the Derby d’Italia clash against Juventus on Saturday.

An Inter win would underscore Milan’s Oly success

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

An Inter win would underscore Milan’s Oly success

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

MILAN — After a brief eviction from San Siro (something about Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey and five interlocking rings), Inter Milan is back home at its iconic, century-old ground. And not a moment too soon. Juventus is coming to town for the Derby d’Italia (Saturday, 1:45 p.m. CT, FuboTV), and any other stadium just wouldn’t do.

That’s not to disrespect Stadio Brianteo, where Inter “hosted” and defeated Torino last week in the Coppa Italia. It’s a perfectly fine arena for Monza, presently in a promotion battle in Serie B. But the biggest match in Italian football? Not a chance.

This is a showdown made for the grandest stage, and stages don’t come much grander than San Siro. The imposing and beloved, if creaking, venue was decked out and shown to all the world as the setting for the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. It looked good, all dressed up.

But who’s kidding who? As much fun as it was to see it welcome international athletes and hear it boo JD Vance, it only truly comes alive when either Inter or AC Milan — or both — are gracing its legendary surface.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Richard Pelham / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland reacts during Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur. The Sky Blues lost the two goal lead in the second half with the match ending in a two-all draw.

Post-halftime collapses recurring theme for Manchester club

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Post-halftime collapses recurring theme for Manchester club

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

Maybe you’ve heard someone who doesn’t watch basketball opine that only the last few minutes of hoops are worth watching. (For the record, I am not this person. Basketball, especially when my team is playing, makes me more nervous than any other sport.)

Now, let’s take that idiom, adjust it to soccer and apply it to a phenomenon that’s backed up by evidence. Like this: Manchester City matches only begin after halftime.

Take their February 1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur for example.

Leading 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo, and having dominated every statistical category through 45 minutes, City looked an entirely different team in the second half. And not in a good way.

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Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

Jose Breton / The Associated Press files
Real Madrid appears back to its dominating self under new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa (left).

Arbeloa seemingly perfect fit in Real Madrid hierarchy

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Arbeloa seemingly perfect fit in Real Madrid hierarchy

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jan. 23, 2026

Only at Real Madrid can you beat Barcelona in La Liga and be fired nine games later.

Only at Real Madrid can you go from Manager of the Month to cleaning out your office in the space of half a season. Only at Real Madrid can you post the best defensive record in the division, lead it for 10 of 19 weeks and be sacked for underperforming. Only at Real Madrid…

To say the standards are a bit different in the Spanish capital is a massive understatement. Xabi Alonso, who won the title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League at the club as a player, knew this better than most when he was named its head coach back in June. It didn’t matter.

You see, those famous standards, those almost impossible measures that have made Los Blancos the record Spanish and European champions, apply to much more than the standings and stat sheets.

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Friday, Jan. 23, 2026

MOSA’AB ELSHAMY / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Morocco players celebrate after winning their semifinal match against Nigeria in a shootout Wednesday. The host nation will battle for the African Cup of Nations title Sunday against Senegal.

Morocco delivers tournament triumph

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Morocco delivers tournament triumph

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

The reviews are in, and they are unanimous. The Africa Cup of Nations, set to conclude with Sunday’s final, has proved an overwhelming success.

The stadiums? A+. The organization? Thumbs up. The on-pitch product? Ten out of ten.

By just about every measure, host nation Morocco has delivered a continental football triumph. If there were any doubts regarding its ability to stage World Cup matches in 2030, they’ve been sent to their room, scolded for their audacity and put thoroughly to bed.

Yes, a transportation solution to Agadir, some 500 kilometres south of Casablanca, will have to be found as its stadium exceeded half its capacity just twice over the past month. But that’s just nitpicking.

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Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

THEMBA HADEBE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nigeria’s Akor Adams (left) — who just made his national team debut in October — keeps finding the scoresheet at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The Super Eagles clash with Algeria in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Africa Cup of Nations trophy to be earned, not handed over

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Africa Cup of Nations trophy to be earned, not handed over

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

On Friday morning, in a video message shared by the Nigerian men’s national team’s social media channels, former captain Segun Odegbami exhorted his compatriots to win the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

“They should play without fear; they should play like champions,” he said.

Of course, they’re not champions — not yet — and to lift the trophy for the first time in 13 years they’ll have to win three times between now and next Sunday’s final, starting with Saturday’s match against 2019 champion Algeria (10 a.m., beIN Sports).

For the most part, Odegbami’s rallying cry was hardly exceptional. He encouraged the players to perform with confidence and to entertain their fans. Then he added a line that could also be heard as unremarkable, but was one that surely irritated Algeria and every other team on the continent, whether at the Cup of Nations or not.

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Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

Themba Hadebe / The Associated Press
Morocco’s Neil Yoni El Aynaoui heads the ball during an Africa Cup of Nations preliminary-round match against Zambia in Rabat, Morocco.

Nothing can be taken for granted in all-Africa soccer showdown

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

Nothing can be taken for granted in all-Africa soccer showdown

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

Not quite two years ago, Ivory Coast was dealt the heaviest home defeat in its history when its Elephants were flattened by Equatorial Guinea’s National Thunder.

That the 4-0 drubbing took place in the country’s largest city, and during the Africa Cup of Nations it was hosting, was embarrassing enough. That it followed a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria meant it was facing the likelihood of group stage elimination.

The players were in tears; the nation was furious. Worst of all, Ivorian icon Didier Drogba wasn’t angry — he was just disappointed.

Two days later, head coach Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked. That evening, Morocco edged Zambia in the final first-round match. The result meant Côte d’Ivoire had slipped into the last 16 as the fourth-best third-place team. Emerse Fae, a Gasset assistant, was quickly hired to replace his old boss.

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Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

Jeremias Gonzalez / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi is set to captain Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations that kicks off Sunday. The tournament — initially planned for last June and July — was shunted to the end of the year when FIFA decided to hold its nonsensical Club World Cup during the international window.

Africa Cup of Nations already unprecedented success

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Africa Cup of Nations already unprecedented success

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

If a reminder was needed that Morocco is very, very excited about the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations — and there really wasn’t — it was provided by a single headline Wednesday morning on the Foot-Africa website: “Achraf Hakimi touches the ball again ahead of AFCON 2025.”

The accompanying article merely elaborated on how Hakimi, the Moroccan captain, had touched the ball, why it was noteworthy that he’d touched the ball, and whether he’d be touching the ball again Sunday when Morocco faces Comoros (1:00 p.m., beIN Sports) in the Cup of Nations it will host between Dec. 21 and Jan. 18.

Africa’s pre-eminent football event, its Euro or Copa equivalent, is always a big deal, which goes without saying. But an AFCON in Morocco? That’s another thing, and another level, entirely.

Massive billboards in the six host cities have been counting down to kickoff for several weeks. The 2025 Africa Sports Expo, which addresses the economics, infrastructure, technology and governance of sports on the continent, started Thursday in Casablanca to coincide with the tournament. Automaker Suzuki has unveiled two special edition, AFCON-themed cars.

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Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Jean-Francois Badias / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Lens’ head coach Pierre Sage understands his players and knows how to help them extract the best versions of themselves.

Lens one win away from first place in Ligue 1

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Lens one win away from first place in Ligue 1

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Dec. 12, 2025

Northern France is having a moment. In the context of top-flight French football, it’s not every day, or year, or decade, that they get one. So, we’ll let them have it, and we’ll even raise a festive glass of cidre chaud. After all, Racing Club de Lens, the country’s second-most northern club, is about to enter the winter break atop Ligue 1.

More on Lens in a moment. First, it’s important to explain what we mean when we say “northern France.”

Essentially, we’re looking at the administrative regions along the Channel coast — Brittany, Normandy and Hauts-de-France — as well as Grand Est, as it borders both Belgium and Luxembourg. Eight of Ligue 1’s 18 teams call it home (we’re excluding Nantes, historically of Brittany but officially of Pays de la Loire), and between them they’ve won 12 titles.

That’s 12 titles, for the record, over 112 seasons. Not great.

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Friday, Dec. 12, 2025

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