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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his torrid postseason on Sunday night as the Blue Jays fought off the Mariners to force a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Mariners. Guerrero's sixth-inning home run was his sixth of the playoffs and he carries a .462/.532/1.000 slash line into Monday night's action.

He had seemingly done it all for the Blue Jays in October when he stepped into the batters' box in the eighth inning so he had to get extremely creative to create something new. A broken-bat single on which his bat made contact with the ball three times certainly qualifies.

Here's the slow-motion replay of the oddity, which proves that when things are going well at the dish, everything seems to work.

For as rare as such an occurrence is, there is some late-October precedent. The Giants' Hunter Pence parlayed the trick into some wicked spin and a two-run single during Game 7 of the NLCS back in 2012.

What will Guerrero do for his next trick as he steps on to the biggest stage of his young career? That depends on how willing the Mariners are to pitch to him.

Italy captain says when he is asked about the plan for the 2026 World Cup, his reply is, they’re planning to “win every game”

Matt Roller12-Jul-2025At least one will play at a next year. Italian football is in chaos: their men’s national team have a proud World Cup history but have failed to reach the last two, and sacked their manager after losing the opening match of their qualifying group for the 2026 edition. But in a small Dutch town on Friday, their cricketers created their own legacy.Italy lost by nine wickets to Netherlands in Voorburg, but Jersey’s win over Scotland earlier in the day – and their own results over the previous week – meant that it did not matter. Instead, Italy wrapped up one of the two spots available at the European Qualifiers for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the first time that Italy have reached a major ICC event.”It’s still very surreal,” Joe Burns, Italy’s captain, told ESPNcricinfo on Saturday morning. “We’ll probably take a few weeks to get home and decompress a bit to fully realise the impact that the occasion will have on so many people. It was an emotional moment that we’re going to try and reflect on as a group as much as we can over the next few months.”The crucial result for Italy was their 12-run win over Scotland on Wednesday. It was launched by Emilio Gay, the Durham opener, who cracked 50 off 21 balls; set up by Grant Stewart, the Kent allrounder, who hit 44 not out off 27; and sealed by Harry Manenti, who has played a couple of BBL games for Adelaide Strikers, and took 5 for 31 with his medium pace.Those names are reflective of a disparate group of players who are based all over the world, but their heritage provides a common thread. Burns’ own story is typical: his roots are in Calabria, in southern Italy, but his grandfather was a prisoner-of-war in North Africa during the second world war and the family relocated to Australia. He has always felt a connection with Italy, and made his debut for them last year.

“I think we had six Australian-born players in our team yesterday… If we do play Australia and I’m on the field, it’ll obviously be a very special occasion”Joe Burns

It was a long way removed from his first international career, which saw him hit four hundreds in his 23 Tests for Australia. “When you play for Australia, there’s such a history to the baggy green that you’re honouring the past and representing the people that have gone before,” Burns said. “When you’re playing for Italy, it’s very much a blank canvas, trying to shape the future.”Burns first reached out to Cricket Italia in 2009, when qualification rules were stricter, and had to undergo a three-year cooling-off period from his final Australia appearance, in 2020, before he became eligible. But he has thrown himself into his new challenge, taking over the captaincy this summer, and has worn the number 85 shirt in tribute to his late brother, Dominic.”A lot of our grandparents left Italy after World War II, so it’s very much a shared story to come together and to represent past generations,” he said. “I know my grandparents would be very proud, and I know mum and dad have been following the games really closely. There are Italians dispersed all over the world, and I hope this team is a beacon for Italians everywhere.”Burns admires his medal•International Cricket CouncilItaly ramped up preparations for the qualifiers last month with a training camp in Rome, and Burns has demanded the full focus of his team-mates: “I told the guys that I don’t care if we’re playing Luxembourg in the sub-regional qualifiers or India in a T20 World Cup final: I want our team to be the most prepared team in world cricket for every game that we play.”This has all come together on the back of a lot of planning. People ask me what the goal for the World Cup is and I say, ‘Look, we’re planning and preparing to win every game – so we’re planning to win the World Cup.’ I want the guys to enjoy the experience and play with freedom – but you have to earn the right to play with freedom on the back of really solid preparation.”Cricket is a niche sport in Italy, but World Cup qualification will unlock new sources of funding. “It will go a long way for us,” Burns said. “We don’t have any turf facilities, and very little facilities in general, but this gives us an opportunity to develop the game. We’ve had a lot of support from CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) which keeps building in the background.Time to celebrate after Italy qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time•International Cricket Council”Associate cricket is very much the grassroots of international cricket, so for us, it’s about trying to unlock funding and build facilities to create opportunities for future generations to come. It’s very rewarding. At different stages in your career, you have different motivations, and I think this came at a really good time for me. It really reinvigorated my love for the game.”Italy will welcome back Wayne Madsen – a man with more than 20,000 runs in county cricket to his name – for the World Cup after he missed the qualifiers due to his Derbyshire commitments, but Burns hinted that he himself may step aside before the main event. “This [qualification] was such a big goal for me,” he said. “It’s probably going to take me a few months to think about it.”But if Burns, 35, does play on, there is one team he would relish the chance to face next year. “We’ve said briefly as a group that we want the big stage. We want to be drawn against the best in the world, and we want to take it on. I think we had six Australian-born players in our team yesterday… If we do play Australia and I’m on the field, it’ll obviously be a very special occasion.”

Danny Rohl’s start to life in charge of Glasgow Rangers on the European stage has not gone to plan so far, as he has lost both of his Europa League games without his side scoring a goal.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, though, has inherited a team that struggled badly under Russell Martin, and will not have any of his own signings until the January transfer window.

Rohl took over from Martin after the Scottish manager only won five of his 17 games and one of his Scottish Premiership outings in the dugout for the Ibrox giants.

The German tactician has had an instant impact on the side in the Premiership. Rangers have won all three of their league games since his arrival at the club, and kept back-to-back clean sheets away from home.

A 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday means that the Light Blues can head into the final international break on a high, after goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore, and Djeidi Gassama.

However, there are still some individuals within the squad who have been unable to step up. Bojan Miovski, for example, was hooked off at half-time against Dundee.

Why Rangers should be worried about Bojan Miovski

The Light Blus should be concerned by the Macedonia international’s dismal start to life at Ibrox, because he has yet to show any signs of replicating his form with Aberdeen.

Miovski was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window to bolster Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, possibly because of his proven track record in Scottish football.

The left-footed forward’s return of 32 goals in 78 games in the Premiership for the Dons suggested that he was a safe and sensible signing to add goals to the Gers attack, but it has not played out that way.

Miovski has scored one goal in eight appearances in the top-flight for Rangers, against Falkirk, from an xG of 1.84, per FotMob, which suggests that he has underperformed as a finisher.

The Rangers centre-forward was given the nod to lead the line against Dundee at Dens Park, after coming off the bench against Roma last week, but he was unable to prove to Rohl that he deserves more starts on the other side of the international break.

Minutes

45

Touches

14

Dribbles completed

0/0

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Duels won

2/8

As you can see in the table above, Miovski failed to register a single shot on goal in 45 minutes of action before being taken off at half-time. Whilst you could point to a lack of creativity behind him, his struggles in duels meant that he was unable to fashion chances for himself.

The Scottish giants, therefore, should be worried about the former Aberdeen marksman, because he has been at the club for several months now and is no closer to showing the kind of quality that earned him a good reputation in the Premiership in the past.

Miovski, though, was not the only Rangers player who failed to deliver an impressive performance in spite of the 3-0 victory against Dundee last time out.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rohl must ruthlessly drop central midfielder Mohamed Diomande from the starting line-up when the Gers return to action on the other side of the international break, as he was just as bad as Miovski at Dens Park.

Why Rangers should drop Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian midfielder was taken off by the German head coach at half-time, just as Miovski was, and was replaced by Scotland international Connor Barron.

Per Sofascore, Diomande lost 75% (3/4) of his duels in the opening 45 minutes of the game at Dens Park, which shows that he was too much of a lightweight in the middle of the park. That may have been why Rohl decided to take him off for Barron, who won 100% (2/2) of his duels in the second half.

The Rangers midfielder also failed to take any shots on goal, did not create any chances for his teammates, and did not attempt a single dribble, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered very little in midfield and was just as bad as Miovski, who was as ineffective in and out of possession.

Diomande, who was sent off against Genk in the Europa League in September, has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.

The left-footed star scored four goals and provided seven assists in 36 outings in the Premiership last season, but his form in and out of possession has dropped off a cliff this year.

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

As you can see in the table above, his defensive and offensive numbers are down across the board in the Premiership for the Gers, which shows that he has been unable to carry last season’s success over to the current one.

His underwhelming performance against Dundee on Sunday was simply the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the central midfielder for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, as he has struggled in and out of possession throughout the season.

Given that Barron came on and showed great energy and desire to win 100% of his duels off the bench in the second half, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Diomande from the starting XI for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox on the other side of the international break.

Rangers launch first enquiry to sign versatile defender who dominated Chermiti

The Gers desperately need reinforcements.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

Miovski and Diomande both failed to offer enough quality on the pitch in the first half against Dundee, hence why they were hauled off at the break, and they should both lose their place in the starting line-up as a result of that.

Dropped in West Indies, Australia’s long-time No. 3 has switched his focus on what he can do to be playing the Ashes

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-20251:01

Super-sub Labuschagne produced direct hit run-out

Marnus Labuschagne is feeling primed to start his push for a Test recall in time for the Ashes amid the ongoing debate about how Australia’s top three will shape up come Perth in late November.Labuschagne was dropped from the Test side for the first time since 2019 at the start of the recent series in West Indies having averaged 27.82 with one century over the previous two years.There had been some consideration given to him leaving that tour early in order to play either county cricket or for Australia A, but he ended up staying throughout, training extensively with the coaching staff, something he has continued since getting home to Brisbane.Related

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“This [being left out] has given me an opportunity to reflect and not having the pressure of the media saying, ‘Marnus has got to go’,” Labuschagne told in his first interview since losing his spot.”I mean that’s part of the game. There is a tipping point but it’s something I thrive on… proving the doubters wrong and being able to find a way. Missing those West Indies Tests gave me the chance to back and think, ‘This is where I want to be and this is how I’m going to get there’.”After the West Indies Tests, head coach Andrew McDonald said Labuschagne’s absence from the side “wasn’t going to be a huge gap.” He could make a return to Australia colours in the ODI series against South Africa later this month having been retained in that squad then will have three Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland before the Ashes side is named in mid-November.Should he make a compelling case for a recall, there remains the question of where he would return in the order with Cameron Green finishing strongly at No. 3 against West Indies in tough batting conditions although there is a scenario where Green drops back down the order should he be available to bowl.Labuschagne’s last Test before his omission saw him pushed up to open in the World Test Championship final against South Africa where he made 17 and 22 and he would gladly take on the role again should that provide his route back.”I would be happy to do that – I would love to,” he said. “If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that’s fine. If you had asked me where I prefer to bat obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage you don’t get a choice.”I opened in the World Test Championship final and felt I batted quite well. I got in but did not go on with it.”

Harry Kane netted his 25th goal of the season as he bizarrely emerged as Bayern's only scorer on the night in their 3-2 win over Union Berlin in their DFB Pokal round of 16 clash on Wednesday night. Kane was also guilty of conceding a second penalty just five minutes after the break, as his foul allowed Union to reduce the deficit to one goal, but the Bavarian giants held on to progress.

Kane on song as Bayern reach DFB Pokal quarter-final

Bayern dominated possession right from the start as they looked hungry to establish an early lead. And the deadlock was broken after just 12 minutes when Union Berlin forward Ilyas Ansah accidentally put the ball into his own net. Aleksandar Pavlovic cleverly shielded the opposition goalkeeper as Joshua Kimmich's corner deflected off Ansah's thigh and into the back of the net.

Star striker Kane doubled his team's lead midway through the half with a glancing header from Kimmich's inch-perfect corner. The England captain successfully got the better of his marker inside the box and guided the ball home via a touch on the goal-line. Kane has now scored in all three rounds of the DFB Pokal in the 2025-26 campaign.

As the game approached the half-time break, the hosts got an opportunity to reduce the deficit when Jonathan Tah handled the ball inside the Bayern box when trying to block a shot. After a lengthy VAR check, Tah was found guilty of a handball as the spot-kick was awarded to Union. Leopold Querfeld found the back of the net from the resulting penalty.

The German champions, however, bounced back quickly as they restored their two-goal lead from a second own goal. Michael Olise sent in a cross hoping to find one of his team-mates but before any Bayern player could reach the ball, Diogo Leite flicked it into his own net, handing the opposition a 3-1 lead going into the break.

Just five minutes into the second period, Kane was guilty of committing a foul inside the Bayern penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. The English forward was booked for his challenge as Querfeld made it a brace by converting again.

Union Berlin looked much more lively in the second half and an early goal after the break provided the much-needed motivation to go for an equaliser. After Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out, Querfeld could have completed his hat-trick late in the game, but his header from a close range went agonisingly off target.

AdvertisementAFPThe MVP

Kane, who is having a stellar campaign in the 2025-26 season, once again stole the limelight. In a bizarre encounter that saw Union Berlin score two own goals, Kane was Bayern's only scorer of the night. The experienced forward converted the clinical header which had doubled his team's lead in the first half. 

The big loser

Ansah and Leite were definitely the villains for the hosts tonight as their own goals in the first 45 proved costly for Union Berlin. The way the team bounced back in the second half and kept pressing Bayern in quick counter-attacks means the first-half own goals will surely haunt them after their elimination from the cup.

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AFPMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whilst long throws, set pieces and teams centred around physicality are back in fashion, a lot has changed in the Premier League since 1992. It’s now the richest league in the world, featuring some of the best players and managers in world football. It is the ultimate destination. But, how much has the table changed in that time?

FootballBlog has released a full ranking of the Premier League table from its very first season in 1992 up until the beginning of the recent November international break. The table includes deductions issued by the Premier League and has tallied the wins, draws and losses by teams over the last 33 years. A total of 51 teams have featured in the top flight over the last three decades, but only 20 can make the all-time standings.

Premier League table by transfer spend per point 2025/26

The top flight would look very different.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025 20 West Bromwich Albion: 490 points

They may be languishing outside the top six in the Championship these days, but there was a time when an away trip to face West Bromwich Albion was a day of frustration for any top side. They sit 20th thanks to the fact that they haven’t returned to the top tier since 2021, but it’s hard to forget just how impressive they were at their best – finishing as high as eighth in the 2012/13 season. And who could forget the form of Romelu Lukaku during his time at the Hawthorns?

19 Bolton Wanderers: 575 points

Ever seen a player so good they named him twice? That was Jay-Jay Okocha. The former Bolton Wanderers star formed the most unlikely partnership with Sam Allardyce during the club’s impressive 11-year stay in the Premier League. Their best finish saw them reach as high as sixth in the 2004/05 season and there still exists the famous video of Allardyce attempting his best dance moves with his star midfielder in 2003.

18 Sunderland: 637 points

Sunderland have been back to where they belong this season and are even on course for their highest-ever Premier League finish. The Black Cats have fought their way back from the depths of League One and may yet get the chance to move up the all-time Premier League table by the time that May arrives. A club built on the memories of stunning Jermain Defoe volleys and Kevin Phillips’ goalscoring heroics could now be about to form their most historic campaign yet.

17 Middlesbrough: 661 points

This time next year, we could be welcoming Middlesbrough back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. It was then that they welcomed the likes of Alvaro Negredo, only to struggle in front of goal when it wasn’t the forward finding the back of the net. It was the third time that they suffered relegation from the Premier League in their history and everyone around Riverside will be desperate to earn redemption almost a decade later.

16 Crystal Palace: 728 points

Whilst there is a running joke that Crystal Palace always end the season sat in 13th, the all-time table has them 16th and their form over the last year suggests that they could be destined for better things. From mid-table mediocrity, the Eagles have soared to become FA Cup winners, Community Shield winners and a side competing in European football. This is without doubt one of, if not the best Crystal Palace side in the club’s history.

15 Fulham: 804 points

Like Palace, Fulham have often been accused of ending their seasons sat in mid-table, but they won’t mind that. The Cottagers have become an established Premier League side once again under Marco Silva and have caused plenty of upsets on their way. Alas, it’s their time under Roy Hodgson that stands out the most, with the veteran manager taking the West London side all the way to the Europa League final in 2010. 15 years later, no one’s forgotten the stunning comeback victory against Juventus at Craven Cottage.

14 Leeds United: 831 points

Like Sunderland, Leeds United are back where they belong in the Premier League. The Whites are full of top flight history and still have their place on the all-time table after the success that they had in the early Premier League years. Their most successful campaign remains a third-place finish under David O’Leary in 2000 to bring Champions League football to Elland Road, as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Alan Smith all starred.

13 Leicester City: 846 points

It’s still absurd, isn’t it? Leicester City: Premier League champions. It remains the most impressive achievement in English football history, as the Foxes took the fight to the big six and somehow came out on top in the 2015/16 campaign. We’re unlikely to see a repeat anytime soon, if ever. Even after they suffered relegation last season, it’s tough to think about the Premier League without picturing Claudio Ranieri’s title winners.

12 Blackburn Rovers: 970 points

It’s been over a decade since Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the Premier League and they remain one of the biggest sides yet to earn promotion back to the top flight. From winning the title in the 1994/95 campaign, Blackburn were relegated in the 1998/99 season and then once more in 2012. History, however, will tell the story of how Sir Kenny Dalglish, with Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, took his side to glory in 95.

11 Southampton: 1,100 points

For a while, Southampton couldn’t get much wrong in the Premier League. They thrived under Mauricio Pochettino then hired Ronald Koeman to pick up where he left off. The Saints also quickly became Liverpool’s favourite club, with Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Virgil van Dijk all heading to Anfield for impressive fees. Although some will be quick to remember last season’s disaster, Southampton were once one of the best ball-playing teams outside the top six.

Arsenal star Gabriel aimed a dig at Richarlison on Instagram after the 4-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s North London derby.

The Gunners capitalised on Manchester City’s slip-up at Newcastle United by defeating Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, solidifying their place at the top of the Premier League table by moving six points clear of nearest-rivals Chelsea.

With just under a third of the campaign played, it is still very early days for Mikel Arteta’s side, but they will no doubt be starting to believe they can finally go all the way this season, having finished second for three years on the spin.

After blitzing Spurs at the weekend, the north Londoners are now the joint-highest scorers in the Premier League, while they also have the best defensive record, having shipped just six goals this term, four fewer than any other side.

Gabriel has been key to the solid record at the back, having formed a formidable partnership with William Saliba, although the centre-back was forced to miss the North London derby after suffering a hamstring injury on international duty with Brazil.

Gabriel takes swipe at Richarlison on Instagram

Despite recently linking up with Richarlison on international duty, with Brazil suffering a 3-2 defeat against Japan, before going on to defeat Senegal 2-1, Gabriel couldn’t resist having a dig at the striker, tagging him in his celebratory Instagram post after the match.

Although the defender was ruled out for Sunday’s game, he had a dig at his compatriot, who was arguably one of Spurs’ better performers, having scored their only goal of the game, catching out David Raya with a strike from distance.

However, that long-range effort was the centre-forward’s only major contribution, having struggled to make an impact on proceedings, completing just five of the ten passes he attempted throughout the match.

Piero Hincapie, on the other hand, looked solid in Gabriel’s absence, making four clearances, one interception and one tackle to keep Spurs at bay, with the visitors being limited to very few chances.

Arteta will no doubt be hoping to have the Brazil international back soon, having recently said: “It’s clearly a blow. It’s our leader in our backline. To miss him is never a positive thing. The good thing is we have some very good options. They need to stand up now.”

However, having recruited well in the summer, signing Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to bolster squad depth, Arsenal should fancy their chances heading into a congested run of fixtures.

Gabriel has been named as one of the best centre-backs in the world Related The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has stepped down from the Miss Universe judging panel just days before the event in Thailand amid allegations that the competition is rigged. The ex-France international was named as a judge for the event last month as he swapped the football pitch for the runway, but has now decided to quit the position.

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  Makelele was 'special guest judge' at Miss Universe 2025

  It's not uncommon for the Miss Universe pageant to invite special guests as judges, with Aerosmith lead vocalist Steven Tyler and supermodel Adriana Lima among those to have previously featured on the panel. The committee looked to Chelsea icon Makelele for the 2025 edition, with the former midfielder praised for his "excellence and integrity" when his inclusion was confirmed.

  Miss Universe is due to be judged in Thailand on Friday, with the winner enjoying a £190,000-a-year salary for the year-long reign, while they have access to an upmarket New York apartment. In addition, international expenses are covered during their time as Miss Universe, with Denmark's Victoria Theilvig claiming the accolade last year.

  However, in the lead up to the event, Makelele has opted to step down from the judges' panel, due to "unforeseen personal circumstances".

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• Makelele explains 'difficult decision' to step down

  In a post on his official Instagram account, Makelele said: "It is with regret that I must announce that I won’t be able to attend the Miss Universe 2025 event due to unforeseen personal reasons.

  "This was a difficult decision, as I hold Miss Universe in the highest regard. The platform represents empowerment, diversity, and excellence – values I have always championed throughout my career.

  "I sincerely apologise to the organisation, the contestants, and everyone involved, and I hope to be able to contribute in the future under better circumstances. Thank you for your understanding and support."

  Makelele isn't the first high profile member of the judges panel to step down from the role in the days leading up to the 2025 event after Omar Harfouch quit his position, accusing organisers of rigging the selection process.

  The Lebanese-French musician took to Instagram to allege that an "impromptu jury" had pre-selected finalists ahead of the competition.

• Makelele not the only judge to call it quits

  Makelele's post came shortly after another juror, Omar Harfouch, resigned from the panel. The Lebanese-French musician branded the competition a “charade” and alleged that an “impromptu jury” had pre-selected finalists.

  Harfouch posted on social media: "I, Omar Harfouch, resigning member of Miss Universe International Jury, wish to inform the public that I have officially consulted one of the leading law firms in New York to examine the potential filing of a formal complaint before the Office of the Attorney General against the Miss Universe Organization.

  "The issues under review include, but are not limited to: fraud, abuse of power, corruption, deception, breach of contract, conflict of interest, and emotional and reputational damages.

  "It has come to light that a secret and illegitimate vote was held to determine the Top 30 contestants before the arrival of the official jury.

  "This vote was conducted by individuals who are not recognized members of the official judging panel, including at least one person with a *personal romantic relationship with a contestant* — a fact which constitutes a clear and serious *conflict of interest* and may qualify as *collusion* and *manipulation of an international competition*."

  The resignations come just two weeks after a number of contestants had walked out of a pre-pageant event following comments made by an official from Thailand.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Post-football career hasn't quite hit the heights

  Makelele didn't disclose the reasoning behind his decision to step down from his position on the Miss Universe 2025 judges panel. The former midfielder enjoyed a glittering playing career, that took him from Spain to England, and back to France in 2008 before retiring in 2011.

  During his time as a player, the Frenchman won La Liga, the Premier League and the Champions League, among other trophies. In addition, Makelele finished as a runner up for France at the 2006 World Cup, a tournament won by Italy with the final best-remembered for Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the iconic Frenchman's last ever game.

  Makelele's managerial career, however, has failed to live up to expectations. Indeed, the 52-year-old briefly managed Bastia and Asteras Tripolis, with an 18-month stint as Eupen boss sandwiched between his time in France and Greece.

After another bumper summer in the busy transfer window, Birmingham City might well have expected to take the Championship immediately by storm.

Indeed, the Blues welcomed in a whopping 14 new faces during the off-season, as the likes of Demarai Gray dramatically returned back to St. Andrew’s after a lengthy Premier League career, among other notable signings.

Unfortunately for Chris Davies and Co., Gray hasn’t quite sparked into life just yet during his homecoming, with the ex-Everton winger not alone in being a disappointment so far, as the Blues loiter in an underwhelming 15th spot in the second-tier standings at this moment in time.

Birmingham's disappointing summer recruitment

It’s not just all on the shoulders of the new recruits, however, as many of Birmingham’s dependable performers during their League One title heroics have also floundered under the pressure of now competing in the division above.

Keshi Anderson definitely falls into his category, with the Luton-born attacker still goalless in Championship action this season so far, despite firing home nine strikes in all competitions last campaign for Davies’ emphatic title-winners.

Thankfully, Jay Stansfield has remembered his shooting boots, with six goals already fired home.

But, to further pile on the misery, Marvin Ducksch – who cost around the £1.75m mark to pick up from Werder Bremen in the window – is also routinely firing blanks as another option up top.

Moreover, the aforementioned Gray doesn’t quite look the same electric, fresh-faced presence he once was at St. Andrew’s when he was a youngster trying to cut his teeth, with Birmingham’s 1-0 defeat to Bristol City last time out only seeing him amass a lacklustre 18 touches of the ball.

It must feel like an awfully long time ago now for Davies when he looks back on Birmingham’s jaw-dropping 111-point season in League One, with one new signing under so much scrutiny already, that he could be on borrowed time in the West Midlands only a matter of months into his EFL stint.

Why Birmingham's expensive gamble hasn't paid off

Thankfully, in recent years, whenever a big price tag has been attached to a player since Tom Wagner’s millions were added into the mix, they have often lived up to their hype.

Stansfield was boldly purchased for a whopping £15m, even as Birmingham found themselves marooned in League One, but he immediately backed up his lavish price tag when scoring the crucial goals – 19 league strikes to be exact – to clinch the Blues’ straightforward passage back up to the Championship.

Therefore, when the newly promoted Blues announced they’d acquired the services of former Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi for an equally hefty £10m in July, the expectation would have been that he would go on to be another superb Stansfield-like purchase.

After all, Kyogo had been branded as a “superstar” in Scotland by ex-Hoops teammate Callum McGregor, off the back of the Japanese gem firing home a stunning 85 goals in total for the Glasgow giants.

Moreover, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman also boldly stated that he would be a “really exciting” signing in England, after the new number nine showed off some entertaining tricks and flicks during his early days at St. Andrew’s.

Games played

11

Games started

5

Minutes played per game

47

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Big chances missed

7

Kyogo’s tale hasn’t played out to the expected script, though, with the once confident and assured striker who pulled on Celtic green and white week in week out now nowhere to be seen in the Championship.

The 30-year-old, instead, has become a wasteful option up top for Davies, with seven big chances missed across 11 league games to date, meaning he is still chasing his first league goal in the West Midlands.

Even Lyndon Dykes has two league goals next to his name, despite averaging just 25 minutes of action himself.

EFL pundit Adrian Clarke has even gone out of his way to state that Kyogo is “struggling”, with patience surely already running thin at St. Andrew’s surrounding the quiet number nine, considering his excessive transfer fee.

There is still time on Kyogo’s side to turn around his shocking Blues start, but if the goals don’t come soon, he might just have to be written off as an expensive flop.

Birmingham sold a bigger talent than Jordan James in £3m "freak of nature"

Birmingham messed up when selling this exceptional star for just £3m.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 8, 2025

Former England batter ends playing career at Somerset to forge new beginning in Bristol

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025

Fran Wilson has been a stalwart at Somerset since debuting in 2006•Getty Images

Fran Wilson, the former World Cup-winning batter, has been named as Gloucestershire Women’s head coach after ending her playing career with Somerset.Wilson, 33, made 64 international appearances across formats between 2010 and 2021, including eight of England’s matches at the 2017 World Cup, en route to their victory over India at Lord’s in the final.She also featured in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, and made the last of her international appearances on England’s tour of New Zealand in February 2021.Domestically, Wilson made her Somerset debut in 2006, before joining Western Storm in 2016, and also represented Gloucestershire in the 2022 and 2023 Vitality Women’s County T20 competitions while developing her coaching skills through the county’s Girls Emerging Players Programme.In the course of her career, she also represented Sunrisers, Middlesex, Kent, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Welsh Fire, Trent Rockets, Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix.Now, she will be taking full-time charge of Gloucestershire in Tier 2 of the new women’s county structure, having worked with the first team on a consultancy basis during the 2025 season.”I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to now step into that journey fully,” Wilson said, “especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time.”We all want results, but the real goal is to build sustainable success and to put the foundations in place that allow us to compete and thrive as a Tier 1 Club.”A huge part of my role is about building those foundations from the first team right through to the age groups, having a genuine influence across that pathway.”By developing the resources we already have in the county and creating a strong network and structure around the players, I believe we can achieve long-term success.”Jon Lewis, Director of Cricket at Gloucestershire Cricket, added: “Everyone at Gloucestershire is really excited about the appointment of Fran Wilson as Women’s Head Coach.”We went through a thorough recruitment process, and Fran was the standout candidate throughout. With strong roots in cricket across the South West, a deep passion for Bristol and Gloucestershire, and a long-standing connection with the Club, that understanding of the region was an important factor for us.”Fran demonstrated an exceptional range of qualities during the process and this marks a hugely significant appointment in an area where we have serious ambition. It also comes at the start of a landmark year for the Club, with Bristol set to host England Women v India in May, followed by six matches during next summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June.”An outstanding playing career, a history of success at both club and international level and a deep understanding of elite performance make this an appointment we are extremely proud of. The environment Fran will build will be welcoming, driven and true to the ‘Gloucestershire way’.”Our aim is to provide the best possible environment for our players to learn and develop and we believe Fran is the ideal person to lead that journey.”