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Ajax never miss.

Throwing it back to the legendary era of the 1970s, adidas and Ajax celebrate the 50th anniversary of the three back-to-back Europa Cup wins – 1971, 1972 and 1973. Presenting a retro-inspired adidas Originals collection, adidas looked to the club's reign of the '70s paying tribute to the history-defining era with archival design references and vintage details. 

adidas

Featuring a football jersey, tracksuit, quarter zip top, two t-shirts and Samba footwear – the adidas Originals collection has everything you need to dress in head-to-toe Ajax greatness.

adidas

The pièce de résistance of the capsule is, of course, the ‘bring back’ football jersey, dressed in the club's iconic colours of white/red/white. The shirt itself is made from time-authentic materials and places an oversized version of the historical Ajax crest in the middle of the jersey, as typical for that era. All other articles feature the adidas Originals logo, the historical Ajax crest, and Amsterdam’s three St. Andrews crosses.

adidas

Reimaging the classic Samba silhouette – football's IT shoe of the moment – adidas opts for a crème-base, with features of red as the secondary colour, as well as black and gold details, and the outsole that defines a Samba.

adidas

On closer inspection, details include the adidas Originals logo and historical Ajax crest on the tongue of the shoe, in reverse order on both tongues. The shoe also features Amsterdam’s St. Andrews crosses on the heel tab, key parts of the club anthem on the sock liner and the coordinates of former Ajax stadium ‘De Meer’ on the right collar lining of the shoe.

Ajax x adidas Originals collection price & how to buy

The Ajax and adidas 70s-inspired adidas Originals collection is available to buy right now from adidas and the official Ajax store. Here's a closer look at all the items available:

• Shop: Ajax adidas Originals collection

  Ajax Amsterdam OG Jersey

  adidas£80.00 at adidas

  Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

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• Ajax Amsterdam OG Track Top

  adidas£80.00 at adidas

  Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

• Ajax Amsterdam OG Tracksuit Bottoms

  adidas£70.00 at adidas

  Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

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• Ajax Amsterdam OG Quarter-Zip Jacket

  adidas£60.00 at adidas

  Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

The process of selling the club has rumbled on for over six months and cast a cloud of uncertainty over Old Trafford amid on-field stability

More than six months have passed since Manchester United began its takeover process, but as the end of the season approaches, fans, players and staff are still no closer to knowing who is going to be in control of the club. Will it be Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group or the Glazer family with minority investment?

Since the board of directors released a statement late on November 22 saying it was "commencing exploring strategic alternatives for the club", United have not made any official comment on the process. All fans have been able to rely on for updates are unsourced reports based on leaks from interested parties.

They do not even know if the club will be sold at all. Avram Glazer, in an increasingly rare trip to watch the club he owns, was asked to give a clarification on the process at the Women’s FA Cup final in May. In keeping with the shadowy way his family have run United over the last 18 years, he stayed silent.

The sale has turned into a never-ending saga which has descended into a farce. It is a mysterious tale of two billionaires competing for the keys to English football’s most successful and best-supported club, while another set of billionaires drag their heels over their decision, further enraging and dividing the fanbase.

Worst of all, the image of the club that was for so long a model institution has been trampled over, threatening to unravel all the progress Erik ten Hag has made on the field this season.

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  A timeline of a chaotic process

  The first round of bids for United were lodged on February 17, when Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim announced his intention to buy the club and clear its debt. INEOS, led by Manchester-born CEO Ratcliffe, followed suit. They were the only bidders to publicly declare their interest in the takeover at the time, although it later emerged that Elliot Management, a US hedge fund, had offered financing to any interested party, raising the prospect of the Glazers staying on thanks to minority investment.

  Delegations from INEOS and Sheikh Jassim’s Ninety-Two Foundation met United officials at Old Trafford in March. The deadline for the second round of bids was set for a few days later, and that was when things got messy.

  Sheikh Jassim and INEOS briefed that they had submitted their second bids, only for it to emerge that United had not received them. Both parties asked the Raine Group, who are organising the sale, for the deadline to be extended, which was granted.

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  Zilliacus denounces farcical process

  Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus entered the fray in March, championing a fan-led bid whereby supporters would own half the club if he were successful. But he pulled out less than a month later over frustration that the Glazers were holding a third round of bids in order to squeeze out a higher price. Zilliacus also believed the Glazers' asking price, reported to be in the region of £6 billion, was far more than the club was worth.

  “Jim Ratcliffe, Sheikh Jassim and myself all were ready to negotiate a deal to buy United. Instead, Glazers chose to start a new round. I will not participate in a farce set up to maximise the profit for the sellers at the expense of Manchester United,” Zilliacus said.

  United then held a third and final round of bids, with Sheikh Jassim and INEOS submitting improved offers. Reports emerged earlier this month that INEOS was closing in on the purchase after making a world record £6bn bid. However, Sheikh Jassim responded with another improved offer, weeks after the deadline. The Qatari is now waiting to hear back from the Glazers and Raine.

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  A glacial pace compared to Boehly's rapid takeover

  United’s interminable takeover process contrasts with the sale of Chelsea in 2022. After being sanctioned by the British government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Roman Abramovich announced on March 2 that he was putting the club up for sale. Todd Boehly completed his takeover of the club on May 28. The whole process took less than three months, less than half the time the United saga has rumbled on for, with still no end in sight.

  Chelsea’s first year under Boehly has been a total disaster on the pitch and the Blues, who visit United on Thursday sitting 12th in the table, are on their third manager of the season. But it cannot be denied that the takeover was resolved swiftly and they were able to act quickly and decisively – if not wisely – in the transfer market as a result.

  The circumstances are, of course, very different. While Abramovich had little choice but to sell Chelsea as his assets were being frozen, the Glazers hold all the cards. The upside of them dragging the process on is the possibility they could make even more money from the sale. The only downside is that they face more intense protests from the fans, but given they have faced fierce opposition since the moment they bought the club in 2005, that is unlikely to concern them.

  The consequences for United, though, are huge. As Zilliacus said when he announced he was withdrawing from the race: “The delays will make it very difficult for any new owner to build a winning team for next season.”

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  Risk of stagnation

  United have made much progress under Ten Hag, after registering their worst-ever points total in 30 Premier League seasons in 2021-22 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick. They have won their first trophy in six years by lifting the Carabao Cup and reached the final of the FA Cup, giving them the chance of stopping Manchester City's quest to complete the treble. The Red Devils are also on the brink of clinching a return to the Champions League, needing just one more point from their final two home games to seal a top-four finish.

  But unless they build on that progress in the summer and address certain areas of the squad, they risk stagnating as they did in previous years when they failed to seize the momentum from finishing in the top four. Ten Hag’s side managed to paper over the cracks with a superb run of results between December and April, but the deficiencies in the squad became painfully obvious following the defeats to Sevilla, Brighton and West Ham, when they had to cope without Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

  The transfer window officially opens on June 10 and there is no guarantee that the takeover will be resolved by then. But United have already lost valuable time to get ahead of their rivals as the seeds of deals are often sown in April and May.

The U.S. has several potential breakout stars that look like they could be the next American to make their mark on the biggest stage

The old guard is still very much part of the United States women's national team. There are nine players returning from the team that won the 2019 Women's World Cup and five from the team that won it four years prior. Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan… it's a who's who of superstar names that have already dominated on the biggest stage.

But this summer isn't really about the old guard. For the USWNT to succeed at the 2023 tournament, for them to contend for a third consecutive World Cup crown, they'll need several new faces to become stars in their own right.

The USWNT's fate may just come down to the rise of those new faces, all of whom are capable of being the breakout star of this summer's tournament. The U.S. has several up-and-comers that seem ready to be the next faces of the team. Four years from now, we may be looking back at how Sophia Smith or Trinity Rodman became the latest player to put their names alongside Morgan, Rapinoe, Ertz, Lavelle and Horan.

Ahead of the USWNT's World Cup opener against Vietnam, GOAL has you covered with an introduction to the rising American stars that look set for a breakout in New Zealand…

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  Naomi Girma

  She's just 23 and only in her second full season as a professional, but Girma is already one of the best young defenders in the game right now. A standout for the San Diego Wave, she made her professional debut in 2022 and, by the end of the year, she'd collected NWSL Defender of the Year and NWSL Rookie of the Year awards. Her first USWNT cap also came last year, and it didn't take long for her to earn CONCACAF W Championship Best XI honors.

  Girma is an incredibly talented center-back who should be a mainstay for the USWNT for the next decade or more. She's fantastic on the ball and already a heck of a defender. Notably, though, she's a player that is constantly improving as she gains more experience at a higher level.

  This summer, Girma will be totally irreplaceable for the USWNT, not just because of how good she is, but because of the actual squad assembled. There are only two natural center-backs in the team, Girma and Alana Cook, which means those two will need to do a whole lot of heavy lifting this summer.

  Girma can do it, though. It'll be her first World Cup and probably not her last. At 23, this is just the start for her.

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  Savannah DeMelo

  DeMelo isn't the youngest member of the squad, but she is certainly the newest. The midfielder's call-up is one of the wildest in recent memory.

  The 26-year-old earned her first USWNT cap on July 9, just two weeks before the tournament. DeMelo has played just 26 total USWNT minutes, and now she's heading to the World Cup. It's almost impossible, really, for a team like the USWNT to pick a player with his little experience, but here DeMelo is.

  An attacking midfielder for Racing Louisville in the NWSL, DeMelo was called into two USWNT camps last fall but failed to appear in a game. This year, she wasn't called into any camp until she was named to Andonovski's World Cup squad.

  She has five goals and two assists in the NWSL, having proven herself as a game-changer at that level thanks to her speed and decisiveness in the final third. The question now is if those assets will translate to the international level, simply because we haven't seen any evidence either way.

  Can she leapfrog the likes of Kristie Mewis or Ashley Sanchez to become a midfield supersub? We'll see, but DeMelo is the USWNT's big wildcard heading into the World Cup.

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  Sophia Smith

  If you're looking for a USWNT star to truly reach the 'world-class' level this summer, Smith is the one. That only works, though, if you don't think she's already there.

  Smith became the youngest-ever NWSL MVP in 2022 as she fired the Portland Thorns to a league title. And that dominance has carried over to the international stage as well, with Smith emerging as a key player for the U.S. ahead of the World Cup.

  With Mallory Swanson's injury on the opposite wing, Smith's role on the right will be even more important as the U.S. looks for another player to help Morgan by scoring goals. Smith scored 11 times in 17 USWNT appearances in 2022, although she hasn't scored in any of her first three this year after dealing with injury issues.

  Still, if you're betting on a new player to show up and become the USWNT MVP, Smith may just be the one to back as she seems ready to introduce herself to the world on the biggest stage.

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  Trinity Rodman

  American fans will know the last name, but Trinity Rodman's game is about so much more. The daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, the Washington Spirit winger arrived in the NWSL in 2021 and became an immediate star. She was rewarded with NWSL Rookie of the Year, NWSL Best XI and U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year after that debut season, and she's showed no signs of slowing down.

  Rodman made her USWNT debut in 2022, going on to earn 10 total caps throughout the year before earning eight so far in 2023. Her best performance, undoubtedly, came in her most recent appearance, as she came off the bench to score two fantastic goals against Wales in the USWNT's send-off game. With those goals, the 21-year-old star became the youngest player in USWNT history to net a brace and, considering all of those that have come before her, that's a hell of an achievement.

  It remains to be seen if Rodman will be a starter or a game-altering substitute but, however she gets on the field, the winger will no doubt make an impact.

GOAL rounds up all of the completed La Liga transfers this season so far

LaLiga is arguably one of the biggest football leagues in the world and remains a popular destination for some of the globe's finest talent.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have a reputation of being big spenders in the transfer market, but the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia have all shown that they are not afraid to splash the cash when the occasion is right.

But who will be making the most headlines in the summer transfer window ahead of the 2023-24 campaign?

GOAL rounds up all of the confirmed moves in and out of La Liga this season so far!

• Transfer INs and OUTs for all La Liga clubs

  Club	2022-23 position
  Barcelona	1st
  Real Madrid	2nd
  Atletico Madrid	3rd
  Real Sociedad	4th
  Villarreal	5th
  Real Betis	6th
  Osasuna	7th
  Athletic Club	8th
  Girona	9th
  Sevilla	10th
  Mallorca	11th
  Rayo Vallecano	12th
  Valencia	13th
  Celta Vigo	14th
  Almeria	15th
  Getafe	16th
  Cadiz	17th
  Granada	1st La Liga 2
  Las Palmas	2nd La Liga 2
  Alaves/Levante	La Liga 2 playoff

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  Almeria transfers

  New signings

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Luis Suarez	Colombia/Spain	Marseille	€8.00m
  Cristian Olivera	Uruguay	Boston River	End of Loan
  Nikola Maras	Serbia	Alaves	End of Loan
  Arnau Sola	Spain	Real Murcia	End of Loan
  Jordi Escobar	Spain	Betis Deportivo	End of Loan
  Arvin Appiah	England/Netherlands	Malaga	End of Loan
  Ivan Martos	Spain	FC Cartagena	End of Loan
  Gui Guedes	Portugal	CD Lugo	End of Loan

  Departures

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Nikola Maras	Serbia	Alavez	€1.50m
  Diego Fuoli	Spain	Without club	End of contract
  Cesar de la Hoz	Spain	Without club	End of contract
  Francisco Portillo	Spain	Without club	End of contract

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  Athletic Club transfers

  New signings

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta	Spain	Mallorca	Free
  Javier Marton	Spain	Real Sociedad B	Free
  Juan Artola	Spain	Burgos FC	End of Loan
  Imanol Garcia de Albeniz	Spain	Eibar	End of Loan
  Benat Pradoz	Spain	Mirandes	End of Loan
  Alex Petxa	Spain	FC Andorra	End of Loan
  Nico Serrano	Spain	Mirandes	End of Loan
  Peru Nolaskoain	Spain	Eibar	End of Loan
  Asier Villalibre	Spain	Alaves	End of Loan

  Departures

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Mikel Balenziaga	Spain	Without club	End of contract
  Inigo Martinez	Spain	Barcelona	Free
  Ander Iru	Spain	Logrones	Free
  Oier Zarraga	Spain	Udinese	Free
  Ander Capa	Spain	Without club	Free
  Alex Petxa	Spain	FC Andorra	Free
  Ander Layer	Spain	Without Club	Free

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  Atletico Madrid transfers

  New signings

  Player	Nationality	Previous club	Fee
  Antoine Griezmann	France	FC Barcelona	€20.00m
  Javi Galan	Spain	Celta Vigo	€5.00m
  Santiago Mourino	Uruguay	Racing Club	€2.70m
  Caglar Soyuncu	Turkey	Leicester City	Free
  Cesar Azpilicueta	Spain	Chelsea	Free
  Santiago Mourino	Uruguay	Racing Club	Undisclosed
  Sergio Camello	Spain	Rayo Vallecano	End of loan
  Giuliano Simeone	Spain/Argentina	Real Zaragoza	End of loan
  Victor Mollejo	Spain	Real Zaragoza	End of loan
  Barja Garces	Spain	CD Tenerife	End of loan
  Vitolo	Spain	Las Palmas	End of loan
  Manu Sanchez	Spain	Osasuna	End of loan
  Samuel Lino	Brazil	Valencia	End of loan
  Rodrigo Riquelme	Spain	Girona	End of loan
  Renan Lodi	Brazil	Nottingham Forest	End of loan
  Joao Felix	Portugal	Chelsea	End of loan
  Juan Manuel Sanabria	Uruguay	Atletico San Luis	End of loan
  Javi Serrano	Spain	UD Ibiza	End of loan
  Matheus Cunha	Brazil	Wolves	End of loan

  Departures

  Player	Nationality	New club	Fee
  Matheus Cunha	Brazil	Wolves	€50.00m
  Renan Lodi	Brazil	Marseille	€13.00m
  Geoffrey Kondogbia	Central African Republic/France	Marseille	€8.00m
  Juan Sanabria	Uruguay/Spain	San Luis	Undisclosed
  Manu Sanchez	Spain	Celta Vigo	Undisclosed
  Javi Serrano	Spain	Strum Graz	Loan
  Matt Doherty	Ireland	Without club	End of loan
  Sergio Reguilon	Spain	Tottenham Hotspur	End of loan
  Giuliano Simeone	Uruguay/ Spain	San Luis	Undisclosed

The Catalan coach once claimed the midfielder was the most talented player he'd worked with, but Foden has needed time to fully realise his potential

Pep Guardiola has coached a lot of players throughout his career, and many of them would make it into the starting XI of the best players of the 21st century. He watched Lionel Messi grow from a boy who was so shy his team-mates thought he was a mute into the best player of all time. He watched Xavi Hernandez take his place in the Barcelona team and then, as manager, enjoyed the midfielder's best days.

He observed the rise of Andres Iniesta, of whom he famously told Xavi: "You will retire me but this kid will retire us all". At Bayern Munich, he worked with Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcantara and Robert Lewandowski, to name but a few. At City, he has had Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero and now Erling Haaland.

But in the summer of 2019, without being asked, he volunteered who he thought was the most talented player he had ever worked with. To widespread bafflement, he chose a 19-year-old who at the time had only made three Premier League starts. He chose Phil Foden.

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  Guardiola's words stand test of time

  "He has everything to become one of the best players," Guardiola told a press conference in Japan during City's pre-season tour of Asia ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. "I have said many times in press conferences, but maybe not said it in front of him, Phil is the most, most, most talented player I have ever seen in my career as a manager. His only problem is sometimes his manager doesn't put him in the starting XI. Hopefully in the future, that can improve."

  Guardiola certainly had a point, and in the four years that have followed, Foden has developed into one of the best players in the world and one of the most decorated, collecting five Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and, finally, the Champions League.

  However, while he has more than played his part in those triumphs, he was never quite the main man. He still has not got to the level of Iniesta or Messi. And as, Guardiola alluded to in 2019, sometimes his manager still does not put him in the starting XI.

  Foden was essentially a squad player when City won the treble, appearing mostly as a substitute in the Premier League title run-in, not playing at all in the FA Cup final and only coming off the bench in the Champions League final after De Bruyne got injured.

  Foden was even a substitute in the Community Shield against Arsenal, dampening hopes that this would be the season he moved into midfield and truly locked down his place in the starting XI.

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  An opportunity presents itself

  However, things now seem to be falling right into place for Foden to become far more than a squad player or even a very good regular. This is his moment to shine, to become City's most influential player and to show that Guardiola was not just hyping him up all those years ago. Early signs are he is grabbing it with both hands.

  Last season it is fair to say that Foden lost the battle with Jack Grealish for his favoured position on the left of City's attack. The summer departure of Ilkay Gundogan, though, has opened up a spot for him in midfield, and that was where he was deployed in the opening game of the Premier League season at Burnley.

  De Bruyne's injury in the first half at Turf Moor opened up another place in the team, and Foden stepped into the captain's usual role in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla. He and City both toiled in the scorching Athens heat and needed a Cole Palmer equaliser to force penalties, from which they won the trophy. Seeing how City struggled against an ultra-competitive Sevilla, many people concluded that Guardiola's side were not the same without the brilliant Belgian.

  However, against Newcastle, they barely noticed his absence as Foden took a huge step forward, delivering one of the best performances of his career.

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  'Absolutely sensational'

  Against a well-drilled Newcastle side who had the joint-best defensive record in the league last season alongside City, the midfielder set up Julian Alvarez's decisive goal with a masterful piece of play.

  He urged Mateo Kovacic to thread the ball between two Newcastle players before spinning past them with two deft touches of his left foot and laying it off, across the floor, for Alvarez to strike into the top corner.

  But Foden's performance was about so much more than the goal. He created a total of seven chances, the best return of his career in a single game. In Europe's top nine leagues, no one has created more scoring opportunities than him at this early stage of the season. In the studio, Alan Shearer was gushing in praise for the man who had taken down his beloved former side.

  "He was absolutely sensational. He was the best player on the park by a mile and he looked so comfortable in that in that position in the middle of the park, in the 10 position," Shearer said. "I think he's superb at doing that, receiving the ball on the half turn, getting into those little those little pockets in front of the back four and then behind the midfield. Just have a look at Alvarez – he doesn't even look where he is. He knows exactly where he is, knows exactly what he wants to do."

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  Overtaken by Grealish

  Foden scored seven goals in his first season with City, the breakthrough campaign which led to Guardiola lavishing him praise. In his first full season, he netted eight goals and provided nine assists. His most productive campaign to date came next, scoring 16 goals and laying on 10 assists, although City fans were not there to see him weave his magic due to coronavirus restrictions.

  However, Foden's reward was for City to then spend £100 million ($127m) to sign Grealish in the summer of 2021, with the objective of playing him on the left of the attack. Foden, though, successfully fought off the challenge from Grealish, contributing 14 goals and 11 assists in the 2021-22 season.

  Grealish, however, soon managed to acclimatise to his new surroundings and Foden was in the unexpected position of being a squad player last term. He also had some misfortune, suffering a foot injury shortly after the World Cup and then falling ill with appendicitis. Being Foden, he still managed to end the campaign with 15 goals, including a hat-trick against Manchester United, the team his father and brother support. There were also eight assists.

Tata Martino says Lionel Messi missed Inter Miami’s defeat at Atlanta United as playing him could have resulted in “worse consequences”.

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• Argentine left out after international duty
• Team-mates came unstuck in his absence
• No risks taken on Jordi Alba either

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was not involved at all as his Florida-based employers suffered a disappointing 5-2 loss on the road in their latest MLS fixture. The decision was made not to take any risks with Messi after seeing him pick up a slight knock while on World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jordi Alba was also absent for Inter Miami, with head coach Martino claiming afterwards that gambles on the fitness of two key men may have ended up in them suffering more long-term damage. He told reporters: “There is some risk of having worse consequences if they came to play this match.”

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Martino is adamant that the artificial playing surface in Atlanta had no impact on his big selection calls, with the Argentine adding: “The field has nothing to do with it at all. This is the day-to-day life that we have ahead of us, because we have the quest to try to reach the play-offs. But we have the [Open Cup Final] on the 27th, so sometimes there are difficult decisions, because these are also decisive matches. But the reality is that there is a final set for the 27th. That’s just one game, for a title. The league is seven, eight more dates, and [even] if we win them all, it is not certain we get in. We started this run way behind. We won’t abandon our hopes, but our focus is on the 27th.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Inter Miami are due to face the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final, having already savoured Leagues Cup glory with Messi on board, and have seven more MLS fixtures in which to try and bridge a seven-point gap to the play-off places.

Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique says he would rather have Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the Reds side than Darwin Nunez.

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• Nunez has four goals this term
• Calvert-Lewin struck three times
• Ex-Reds star says Everton man is better

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Uruguay international has scored four goals and registered three assists so far this season, but has failed to find the net the last three games in all competitions. Everton forward Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, has struck three times in just six matches.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The two will likely go head-to-head when Liverpool host the Toffees in the first Merseyside derby of the season and ex-Reds player Jose Enrique believes it is Calvert-Lewin who looks more like a world class forward.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  “Obviously, Liverpool fans are not going to like hearing this from me, but with both Darwin Nunez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin fully fit, I think I would take Calvert-Lewin,” he said to . “People seem to forget how good Calvert-Lewin is when he’s fully fit – he’s an excellent player. The way I see it – put Darwin Nunez in any world-class teams in the world and I don’t think he’s starts for most of them. However, if Calvert-Lewin could keep himself fit, I really believe he could be a starting number nine for a world class team, that’s the kind of level I see from him.

  "Even when Darwin Nunez is scoring goals for Liverpool, I still have my doubts about him as a player under Jurgen Klopp. I love him and think he would do well for loads of other teams who play counter-attacking football – he’s outstanding for that – but for a team that presses a lot like Liverpool do, I’m not so sure."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Liverpool and Everton will meet at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.

Fernando Diniz's side couldn't generate any attacking momentum as a Luis Diaz double saw them drop points yet again

Brazil struggled without the creativity of Neymar, and were lost when Vinicius Jr went off injured, as they let a 1-0 lead slip against Colombia. Gabriel Martinelli's early goal was the Selecao's only real chance of the night, with Luis Diaz bagging twice in four minutes late on to give his side a 2-1 win.

The Arsenal winger opened the scoring inside five minutes, poking an effort into the far corner after a fine piece of interplay with Vinicius. The Selecao's momentum was slowed, though, by Vinicius' exit, after the winger appeared to pick up a thigh issue that forced him off after 26 minutes.

The home side eventually turned things around. Diaz was at the center of it all, nodding home two headers in a four-minute stretch to put his side up 2-1. Brazil, for their part, never carved out a clear chance. Raphinha and Rodrygo put shots narrowly wide, but Fernando Diniz's men struggled to create and they were made to pay, dropping points in Conmebol qualifying for the third-straight contest.

GOAL rates Brazil's players from Estadio Metropolitano…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Alisson (8/10):

  Made numerous important saves in Ederson's absence. Couldn't do anything about Diaz's goals. Could have been 4-1 without him.

  Emerson (5/10):

  Given a rough evening by Diaz, and didn't offer loads on the ball either.

  Marquinhos (5/10):

  Outlept by Diaz for the Colombia second, and a bit shaky on the ball. Not his best night.

  Gabriel (6/10):

  Did all of the defensive stuff well, and was the most composed of the Selecao's centre-backs.

  Renan Lodi (4/10):

  Lacked legs at right-back, and was off the pace for most of proceedings. He's a real weak point.

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  Midfield

  Andre (6/10):

  Some of his defensive work was excellent. Made a vital block on Diaz in the first half, and put some timely tackles in.

  Bruno Guimaraes (5/10):

  A mixed showing. Carried the ball well at times, but didn't cover enough ground in the middle of the park.

  Rodrygo (5/10):

  Really bright at times. He linked play effectively, and looked to go for goal. But he wasn't clinical or incisive enough. Will have to step up now.

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  Attack

  Vinicius Jr (6/10):

  Assisted the opener, and was at his spellbinding best for 25 minutes. Then left the game with a leg injury – a worry for Real Madrid.

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Took his goal well, and was a constant threat on the wing. You'd think there will be many more Brazil goals to come.

  Raphinha (4/10):

  Fired narrowly wide in the second half. Not really involved, otherwise.

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  Subs & Manager

  Joao Pedro (5/10):

  Offered legs but not much quality up front.

  Paulinho (5/10):

  Didn't offer much in an attacking sense.

  Douglas Luiz (5/10):

  Couldn't establish midfield control.

  Pepe (N/A):

  Not enough time to make an impact.

  Endrick (N/A):

  Not much time to make an impact. An underwhelming debut.

  Fernando Diniz (3/10):

  Played four wingers and only two natural centre-mids in a hostile environment. His side never found a foothold, and were too often hit on the break. Brazil shouldn't be this easy to play against.

The U.S. swarmed their opponents in a 3-0 win, offering a small glimpse into what life will look like under their new coach

Priority No. 1 for Emma Hayes as U.S. women's national team manager: fix the attack. It's a group that's too talented and too important. A quiet World Cup led to a short World Cup, which is the reason Hayes was brought in in the first place: to inject some much-needed life into a team that needs to claw its way back to the top.

That clawback has started, even if Hayes truly hasn't. We won't see the Chelsea boss leading the USWNT until next summer but, on Saturday against China, the U.S. showed that they're already moving into this new era at a rapid pace.

The U.S. took down China 3-0, with Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan and Trinity Rodman getting on the scoresheet. More important than the result, though, was how it came together. For the first time in so long, the U.S. looked like a team with a plan, an identity, and some ideas of what they wanted to do on the attacking end.

It's important to remember that this is a start. One game does not make up for everything that happened this summer, not by a longshot. However, this brief bridge period before Hayes arrives is off to an ideal start as the USWNT is already beginning to look like itself again.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers of Saturday's match…

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  WINNER: Emma Hayes

  She wasn’t actually at the game on Saturday, despite meeting with the team briefly this week. The broadcast said she’s since left the country to focus on Chelsea.

  However, you can see Hayes’ fingerprints all over the USWNT win. Tactically, the U.S. shook things up, totally moving away from the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 we’ve so often seen. With four midfielders on the field, the U.S. was completely fluid, looking like a 4-2-2-2, a 3-5-2 or a 3-2-2-3 at different times.

  Whatever you want to call it, it sure was effective, which is something we haven’t seen from the U.S. in some time. Hayes is known as a tactician, a coach willing and able to change up formations and systems when the game calls for it. There will be plenty more experimenting in the future, for sure.

  Overall, this first impression, even if it didn’t include an actual appearance from Hayes, was a good one. The U.S. seems to already be benefiting from their new coach… imagine what will happen when she actually takes over!

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  LOSER: Sophia Smith

  Oh, it feels really, really harsh to put here here because she was, in fact, very, very good. However, with just a bit more composure or luck, Smith could have really run the score up in this one. She got her goal, a fantastic early finish from a perfect Rodman ball, but she could have had three or four goals added to her resume.

  Starting centrally after largely playing on the wing in USWNT colors, Smith showed all of the things that make her such a good striker for the Portland Thorns: speed, intelligence, and skill. The only thing missing was the finishing, and it went missing a few times. Still, you’ll credit her for getting in those positions to finish, and by no means was this a bad game from Smith.

  It was exactly the type of game you’d want to see from her, albeit with a few fewer goals. Overall, though, it was a promising performance, but Smith will definitely be looking back wondering how in the world she didn’t add more to her 15 career USWNT goals by the time this one was over.

• WINNER: Attacking flow

  The biggest cause of the USWNT’s downfall Down Under was the attack. In the biggest moments, the goals totally dried up. There were no ideas, no creativity and, ultimately, no results.

  In the friendlies since the World Cup, there have been some positive moments. There have also been some moments where the U.S. has lacked fluidity and confidence in that part of the field, a carryover from a difficult tournament this summer.

  The attack had no such issues on Saturday. This was the most dynamic this group looked in a long, long time.

  Smith had plenty of chances to finish, a sign of how well the pieces around her worked together. Rodman, the clear star of the match, had a goal and two assists as she ran the show throughout. Casey Krueger added so much from her right-back role, bombing forward regularly, while midfielders Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Savannah DeMelo pulled strings in the way we’re accustomed to seeing. Then, once subs were made, the level never dropped.

  For the first time in a long time, the U.S. truly played with some sort of purpose. The attacks were vicious and confident, creating chance after chance against a good China team. Finally, this group played to a level equal to the sum of its parts. Hayes can raise that level even higher, for sure, which is bad news for the rest of the world.

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  LOSER: The old guard

  We knew that, after the World Cup, some new faces would be introduced to the USWNT. Even the most optimistic of fans couldn’t have expected this many new faces, though, so it's good to see them adapting quickly.

  Olivia Moultrie and Jenna Nighswonger became the latest young stars to earn their first USWNT caps, and neither looked overawed by the moment. Both players had some decent spells during the game, offering glimpses into why they've been so good in the NWSL

  Last camp's breakout stars, Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw, were also involved off the bench and the duo once again impressed. Fishel had a few good looks at goal, although she didn't get on the scoresheet. Shaw, meanwhile, just missed a goal of her own by inches as she was unable to get a head to Lindsey Horan's cross on the USNWT's second goal. The teenager did, however, get an assist, teeing up Rodman for the third and final goal of the day.

  We're seeing the player pool turnover before our eyes, with a group of young stars stepping into the spotlight. We'll see how many of them can play their way into the picture by the Olympics, but it's pretty clear that their time is coming.

  10 members of the World Cup squad weren't on this roster, although that includes the retired Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz. For the rest of that group, though, the fight is just beginning as Olympic roster spots are very much up for grabs.

Wrexham's iconic The Turf pub, visited by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, donated a huge sum to a local children’s hospice from their fundraiser.

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• Reynolds & McElhenney often visit The Turf
• Pub donates £1,000 from fundraiser
• Hope House Hospice the beneficiary

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Turf is a prominent establishment that has featured in Wrexham's Disney documentary. Operated by Wayne Jones, The Turf enjoys regular appearances on 'Welcome to Wrexham' and has welcomed visits from the club's star owners, Reynolds and McElhenney. In an incredible gesture, Jones' establishment has now donated £1,000 ($1,260) from its annual fundraiser to support Hope House Children's Hospices.

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• WHAT JONES SAID

  Speaking on the sidelines of the fundraising event, Jones said: "Hope House was always going to be one of our priorities to give to this year. It does incredible work and sadly lots of families in our local area go through very difficult times and if we can help in any tiny way then we are happy to. It really has been an honour to raise this money for Hope House, although I can't take all the credit. Most of the money came from others that donated which is amazing."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hope House fundraiser Cat Dowdeswell was ecstatic after receiving the generous donation from The Turf.

  "We are so incredibly grateful to Wayne and everyone at The Turf for choosing to support Hope House with their annual fundraiser," she said. "It really is amazing to see the Wrexham community coming together to support seriously ill local children. Everything donated makes such a difference and ensures we can be here for the children and families that need us."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Turf claims to be the birthplace of Wrexham Football Club as it is deemed to be the oldest public house at any stadium in the world. It hosted a meeting of the local cricket body back in 1864 which subsequently paved the way for the football club in October in that same year.

  Moreover, The Turf organised a festive fundraiser last Christmas to aid local charities when they shared a total of £11,189 ($14,270).