Stephen Emberson

Re-live one of the greatest days in the history of Test cricket... 🦁🦁🦁

"We've been able, thanks to the decision of the FIFA Council last week, to increase, of course, the grants for every member association. “Before I started as FIFA President, each of you was receiving $1 million USD every four years. As of the 1st of January of next year, it will be $25 million USD... “For you to be able to invest in the future of our game, all together, all united.”

🚨🇵🇹 OFFICIAL! CRISTIANO RONALDO STATEMENT: “This is the truth on what has happened with Jorge Jesus”. As I promised, I decided to recount, in the first person and directly, the circumstances surrounding the last training camp of the National Team. After the 2026 World Cup I prepared a letter to the Portuguese people, which I still keep, with the words I want to address to them when I leave our team for good. At the end of the competition, already on the flight back from the United States, the President of the Federation asked and insisted that I reconsider the decision to leave, because the FPF wanted me to continue. Right afterwards he asked me for my opinion on the name of the current head coach, which he was considering alongside other names he did not reveal to me. I told the President of the Federation that, in my opinion, it would be the right choice. That is why, on the day the current head coach was presented, I was genuinely happy with the choice. It was the right option, as the results are confirming. A few days later I received a first contact from the new national team coach saying he would like to meet me in person. I said yes and we scheduled it for the end of my holidays. We met at the Cidade do Futebol, where my club was holding its pre-season training camp. That day the coach told me he was counting on me and that my presence was fundamental to his project. He presented me, right there, with a plan for my participation. He told me I would play the first match and the last one, and that for reasons of physical management he would always make three to four changes per match. At that point he raised the possibility of me not travelling with the national team to Norway and Denmark. He proposed that I play the first match and stay in Portugal, then rejoin before the match at the Dragão. I refused this proposal immediately. It seemed obvious to me that I could not accept it. It was not because I would not play the matches abroad that I would stop captaining our team. That privilege of staying in Portugal would not be a good example. The coach ended up agreeing with my analysis. This conversation was attended by Simão Coutinho, sporting director of Al Nassr, the person to whom the current coach reported throughout last season and one of those responsible for his signing by the club in 2025. On the eve of the start of the camp the coach came to my house in Lisbon, at his request, for another conversation with me. The conversation was calm and all the principles agreed in August were maintained. I played the match at Alvalade and, although substituted, I made no problem of it. I put the armband on Bruno Fernandes myself, far from imagining that I might be taking my last steps as a player and captain of the National Team. What mattered to me that day was our victory. Winning is always good; in Portugal and for my country, even better. At lunchtime on the day of the match in Norway, an assistant to the coach came to the table where the group was having lunch and informed me that the coach wanted to speak to me. To my absolute surprise, the coach asked me if I was fit to play 30 minutes. I was fully focused on my physical recovery, integrated with my teammates as always, and thinking that I would not play that day. Without any problem. This request was something outside my physical recovery and training plan — because I was only going to play on the 4th at the Dragão — but of course I said yes. He replied that I should then be ready because I would play 30 minutes. The rest everyone knows. I warmed up from half-time, watched the minutes go by, and was not called. The coach had broken his word to me.

Most points per game allowed in a season in the last 40 years: 2020 Lions – 32.4 2008 Lions – 32.3 2026 Lions – 31.8 (through 4 games)

Barring 1 freak season each from Leeds, Leicester and Blackburn the same 5 clubs have shared the league title for the last 40 years mate 🤦🏻‍♂️

Me: ‘Don’t make it obvious but there’s an incredibly fit girl at the bar’ My mate:

Hits it coming down, so it’s a volley. Hope this helps 👍

I just lost my cricket ground (and perhaps club) because of @HSBC_UK selling their land. New Beckenham had five senior teams, but more importantly a huge vibrant growing junior section for cricket. Now it’s homeless so Crystal Palace can own even more of the local area for professional footballers to train London has always been one of the homes of cricket. But too often teams play on terrible facilities because the good ones are disappearing. The New Beckenham pitch was a high quality square, the club might find other facilities. But it won’t be of this quality. And that’s if they find somewhere. It feels every year there is less space for cricket in London. Not sure the Hundred is going to fix that. Professional cricket is great, but cricket needs everyone.

England's own @WillOspreay has his family, friends, country and even some rivals behind him as he challenges @KennyOmegamanX for the AEW World Title in our MAIN EVENT! Watch #AEWAllIn London LIVE on HBO Max PPV

🚨 EXCL: Brighton & Hove Albion to step up pursuit of Femi Azeez before transfer deadline. Already 2 bids for right winger rejected - latest package just over £10m fell below #Millwall valuation but pursuit ongoing. 25yo wants to join #BHAFC @TheAthleticFC nytimes.com/athletic/7550630…

CONFIRMED: DAZN have placed college sports behind a paywall for the 2026 season. There are 2 packages available: standard & ultimate. Standard: £8.99 a month, £99.99 a year Ultimate: £10.99 a month, £119.99 a year

Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died, according to ABC News. She was 36. Story: rollingstone.com/tv-movies/t…

The PFA have begun High Court proceedings in relation to new wage restriction rules brought in by the EFL this season in League One.

National League Statement: Ebbsfleet United FC

NFL players are suspended for two years without pay for doing this. NBA players face prison time for doing this. Yet nothing at all happens to WNBA players for doing this. Explain the difference. I can’t.

NEW: An independent advisory group to FIFA's Integrity Task Force raised 7 notices relating to possible match manipulation from potential betting irregularities in World Cup. Estimated $240bn placed in bets, double that of 2022. More on @TheAthleticFC nytimes.com/athletic/7463768…

🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: An investigation has been launched into alleged MATCH-FIXING during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 😳🌍 A Council of Europe report identified multiple suspicious incidents, including Themba Zwane's red card against Mexico, while more than $4.5M in suspicious betting activity has also been flagged. Authorities are now examining whether any World Cup matches may have been manipulated. (Source: @RMCsport)