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Declan Rice’s magical free-kick double reignited Arsenal’s season as they thumped European champions Real Madrid on a historic Champions League night at the Emirates Stadium.

The England midfielder’s superb brace was even more incredible considering he had never scored a direct free-kick in his senior career.

Now a hero in N5, he joins a list of great free-kick goalscorers for the Gunners. Here, we rank some of the best free-kicks scored by those in red and white down the years.

Related 10 best Premier League free-kicks of all time (Ranked)

David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored two of the best free-kicks in recent history, but who has scored the greatest in the PL era?

Posts ByLewis Thompson Jun 15, 2024 9 Mesut Ozil v Liverpool 2014/15 Premier League

Arsenal were flying when they took on Liverpool at the Emirates in April 2015, with Arsene Wenger’s side coming into the game on a six-game winning streak.

Backed to see off the Reds as they looked to overtake Manchester City in second place, the Gunners went ahead just before the break through Hector Bellerin.

Minutes later, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick on the right-hand side, with Mesut Ozil standing over it.

And despite placing it on the ‘keeper’s side, the German doubled Arsenal’s lead with a superb effort, which set the Gunners up for a 4-1 victory.

8 Cesc Fabregas v Aston Villa 2009/10 Premier League

With their title bid threatening to falter, Arsenal were struggling to break down a stubborn Aston Villa team that had been a thorn in the Gunners side.

Level on points with their opponents at the time, it was a must-win game. But with Arsenal toiling, a less-than-fit Cesc Fabregas was summoned to give the home side the advantage they craved.

Around 25 yards out, the captain stepped up to put his team in front with a superb curling effort that Brad Friedel could do nothing about.

7 Robin van Persie v Sunderland 2007/08 Premier League

Robin van Persie’s strike against Sunderland would probably still be travelling had it not nearly shattered the Emirates crossbar back in 2007.

His thumping early free-kick against the Black Cats was past Craig Gordon like a bullet, and was one of those you could watch over and over again.

The Dutchman then popped up late on after the Gunners had dropped a two-goal lead to take them to the top of the table.

6 Thierry Henry v Roma 2002/03 Champions League

Thierry Henry had such a knack for scoring great free-kicks, he could have his own ‘best of’ compilation.

But one of his finest has to be his clincher in the Stadio Olimpico against Roma in the Champions League, which not only secured a superb away win in the second group phase for Arsenal, but a magical European hat-trick.

Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli had absolutely no chance.

5 Mikel Arteta v Aston Villa 2011/12 Premier League

Some free-kicks just stay hit, and Mikel Arteta certainly proved this against Aston Villa in the 2011/12 season.

During a routine victory for the Gunners, Arteta put the icing on the cake with a screamer into the net from miles out.

Shay Given appeared to have been expecting a shot into the opposite corner, but once he’d made the wrong decision, the ball was already past him.

4 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

This may be fresh in the memory, but Declan Rice’s first strike against Real Madrid was befitting of the occasion, not to mention a thing of beauty.

Having spotted the potential to curl one around the outside of the wall, Rice’s strike lit up the Emirates, handing Arsenal the lead over the European champions.

It was also Arsenal’s first direct free-kick goal since Martin Odegaard scored against Burnley in September 2021. The relief and ecstasy was tangible.

For the moment alone, it will likely be a special memory for years to come.

3 Thierry Henry v Wigan 2005/06 Premier League

Thierry Henry was up to his old tricks against Wigan in 2005, producing a superb free-kick – with a cold celebration to go with it.

Having built a reputation for taking free-kicks quickly, referee Graham Poll made it very clear he had to wait for the official’s whistle.

Clearly disturbed by this, Henry responded by placing an inch-perfect free-kick in off the post, leading him to ask the referee, “is that enough?”.

2 Santi Cazorla v Hull 2013/14 FA Cup

Arsenal had often been accused of lacking leaders, and when the Gunners were 2-0 down to Hull City in the 2014 FA Cup final, it looked like those concerns would re-emerge as their trophy drought threatened to extend further.

But after being handed a free-kick, Santi Cazorla scored perhaps his greatest Arsenal goal under the Wembley arch by torpedoing a strike past Allan McGregor in the Tigers net.

It set Arsenal up for the dramatic comeback that won them the trophy, and gave the supporters a moment to treasure forever.

1 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

The term ‘top bins’ has been around for a while now, but this may well be the ultimate epitome.

Having just scored a screamer past Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal, Declan Rice lined up what he hoped would be another screamer.

Buoyed by his earlier effort, Rice smashed home an all-timer to double the Gunners’ lead on the night and score what is surely the best free-kick the club has ever seen, with the ball arrowing into the top corner.

When you consider the importance, the opposition and the perfect execution, it is going to be hard for anyone to top this.

Related Ranking The Top 10 Free Kicks Of All Time

Football Fancast runs down the top ten best free kicks in football history.

Posts ByAlex Roberts Dec 10, 2023

And who is the oldest man to debut for Pakistan in Tests?

Steven Lynch28-Oct-2025The Afghanistan seamer Ziaur Rahman took 7 for 97 in the first innings of his Test debut. Where does this stand overall for debut performances? asked Len Harrison from England

Ziaur Rahman’s figures of 7 for 97 against Zimbabwe in Harare last week are the best on debut for Afghanistan, beating Amir Hamza’s 5 for 74 against West Indies in Lucknow in 2019. Nijat Masood took 5 for 79 on his debut, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2023.Ziaur, whose only previous international was a T20I against Ireland more than six years previously, was the 24th man to take seven or more wickets in an innings on Test debut (there have been 26 instances, as Bob Massie and Narendra Hirwani took two lots of eight in their first match). The best figures of all by a player in his first Test are 8 for 43, by Albert Trott for Australia against England in Adelaide in 1895. There have also been three instances in women’s Tests.All seven of Ziaur’s victims were bowled or lbw: he’s the first to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut without any help from a fielder. The Pakistan pair of Mohammad Nazir (7 for 99 against New Zealand in Karachi in 1969) and Mohammad Zahid (7 for 66 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi late in 1996) both had six, plus one to a catch by a fielder. The only previous players to take an unassisted five-for on Test debut were the old England pair of Douglas Carr (5 for 146 in his only Test, against Australia at The Oval in 1909) and Wally Hammond (5 for 36 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1927), and Pakistan’s Shahid Nazir, with 5 for 53 against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996.When did Zimbabwe last win a Test by an innings? asked Tinashe Ndlovu from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s big win over Afghanistan in Harare last week was their 15th win in all Tests – they have played 129 now – but only the third by an innings. The first of those was by an innings and 64 runs over Pakistan in Harare in 1995, and they also beat Bangladesh by an innings and 32 in Bulawayo in 2001.Last week’s win was Zimbabwe’s second in six months, but their first at home for more than 12 years, since they beat Pakistan by 24 runs in Harare in 2013.Asif Afridi is the third-oldest player to debut for Pakistan in men’s Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesWhat was the most overs bowled by spinners in an ODI before West Indies used them for all 50 against Bangladesh recently? asked Jason Jandu from England

You’re right that the West Indian spinners bowled all 50 overs in last week’s ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur: Akeal Hosein (who only arrived in Dhaka a few hours earlier), Roston Chase, Khary Pierre, Gudakesh Motie and Alick Athanaze all delivered their full allocation of ten overs. It worked – just – as West Indies won in a Super Over after a tie.Before this there had been three ODI innings which contained 44 overs from spinners, all of them by Sri Lanka: against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1996, New Zealand in Colombo in 1998, and Australia in Dambulla in 2004.Two Indians scored centuries in their Women’s World Cup match against New Zealand last week. Has this happened before in a World Cup match? asked Milind Ekanth from India

India’s openers Pratika Rawal (122) and Smriti Mandhana (109) both scored centuries in an imposing total of 340 for 3 against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai last week. This was the ninth occasion a Women’s World Cup innings had contained two centuries. Mandhana was also involved in the previous instance, against West Indies in Hamilton (New Zealand) in 2022, when she scored 123 and Harmanpreet Kaur 109.Asif Afridi made his Test debut last week aged 38. Is he the oldest to win a first cap for Pakistan? asked Akhtar Nasir from Pakistan

Slow left-armer Asif Afridi was born on Christmas Day in 1986, so was around 38 years ten months old when he made his Test debut last week against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.Two players made their debuts for Pakistan when older, both in the 1950s. Offspinner Miran Bakhsh was 47 years 284 days old when he played against India in Lahore in 1955, and legspinner Amir Elahi was 45 days past his 44th birthday against India in Delhi in October 1952. That was Pakistan’s inaugural Test match: Elahi had previously played one Test for India, aged 39 in 1947-48.The next oldest debutant for Pakistan was seamer Tabish Khan, who was 36 years 146 days old when he won his only cap, against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2021. For the list of the oldest debutants from all countries, click here.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

While the national attention is largely on other South African sporting teams, the cricketers will quietly fancy their chances in India

Firdose Moonda18-Sep-2023For a change, South Africa’s cricket team will go to the World Cup without much fuss or fanfare and they have their rugby counterparts to thank for it. The world champion Springboks are competing at their own World Cup, for a record fourth title, and the country’s sports lovers are too Bok-befok (an Afrikaans phrase that can be loosely translated as obsessed with the Springboks) to be distracted by other things, even if the other thing is a World Cup in a different code.That may come as a relief to Temba Bavuma, Rob Walter and co, who will have to deal with far less pressure and expectations than squads before, but they’re also using it as inspiration – to go where no South African side has gone before.”We understand that we are a vehicle for inspiration for the country. When the team are at its best, they provide a mirror for what the country can look like, where race is not an issue, there are no political divides and they are only focused on one thing, which is the collective.”Related

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Those are powerful words at a time when the country has faced unprecedented success alongside unprecedented hardship. In a landmark year for sport, the women’s national team became the first senior cricket side to reach a World Cup final, the women’s national football team, nicknamed , became the first senior side in their code to reach the knockout rounds of a World Cup and wheelchair tennis players Kgothatso Montjane and Donald Ramphadi won gold in their respective categories at Roland Garros. At the same time, there have been more rolling blackouts this year than at any time before, the Rand slipped to its lowest rate against the Dollar in history, and wealth inequality remains the largest in the world.No sports team can solve those issues but between them, the Springboks, , the tennis stars and the Proteas men and women are going to try to at least put smiles on faces and hope in hearts.”The role of the team is to provide inspiration and hope and to unify,” Bavuma says. “The way to do that is by playing a brand of cricket people can get excited about. And everyone likes to win.”That was evident at a sell-out Wanderers, where more than 34,000 people turned up on Sunday afternoon, watched the cricketers on the field and the rugby players on the big screen and celebrated their victories in the spring sunshine with party vibes. What they saw from France was expected: the No.2 ranked Springboks downed 19th placed Romania 76-0. What they saw in front of them was not. South Africa went from 258 for 6 in the 45th over, to 315 and then defended their total successfully for the third fixture in succession to claim the ODI series 3-2.Though Walter cautioned that South Africa need to “very careful,” about “reading too much,” into the result ahead of a World Cup that will be played in vastly different conditions, there are positive signs for a side that only got automatic qualification to the tournament in eighth place. A tough top-order At first glance, and especially when stacked up against names like Jonny Bairstow, Rohit Sharma or Babar Azam, South Africa’s top three don’t exactly seem menacing but Bavuma, Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen have numbers that suggest otherwise. They boast averages of 56.95, 44.88 and 57.62 respectively and can all lay a foundation for the big-hitters in the middle-order.Bavuma’s 50-over pedigree is particularly overlooked, in part because of criticism over this T20 strike rate and blurring of lines between formats, but in 2023, he averages 79.62 in ODIs, has scored three hundreds and two fifties and proved himself as an astute captain.Quinton de Kock will retire from ODIs after the World Cup•AFP/Getty ImagesMarco Jansen shaping up as a leading allrounder South Africa raised eyebrows when they chose to include only one genuine allrounder in their squad especially as other squads were stacked with them but Marco Jansen is proving more than useful. He had his best game in the series-decider against Australia with a career-best 47 off 23 balls and his first five-for and Walter warned this is only the beginning. “Marco has got such huge potential. There is so much more in the tank from him,” Walter said.Jansen has indicated he enjoys the roles differently, as he is allowed to be more carefree with the bat and more stoic with the ball. “It’s tough but it’s nice at the same time,” he said, when asked how he is carrying both loads. “It’s a bit more responsibility but for me it’s important to go out there and enjoy it. I enjoy batting and when I am batting I try and express myself and then when I am bowling, it’s more like I have a real job to do.”South Africa probably see his division of labour the same way: bat with freedom but bowl with maturity, especially as he is likely to be their quickest bowler, with Anrich Nortje in doubt because of a back injury.

“We understand that we are a vehicle for inspiration for the country. When the team are at its best, they provide a mirror for what the country can look like, where race is not an issue, there are no political divides and they are only focused on one thing, which is the collective”Temba Bavuma is aware of the job at hand

Winning with spin and seam There are concerns over the make-up of South Africa’s attack with Nortje and Sisanda Magala in a race against time to prove their fitness ahead of the squad’s departure this weekend but South Africa look otherwise well stocked. Walter was particularly pleased with the different departments of the attack in the Australia series ahead of the World Cup. “We won the game in Potchefstroom with spin, we won the game at SuperSport Park with pace and we put it all together today,” he said.South Africa defended 338 in the third ODI, largely thanks to Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi’s strangling efforts. They bowled 17 overs between them, took four wickets and gave away only 66 runs – fewer than four runs an over in a chase where Australia were required to score above six. They defended 417 in Centurion, where Lungi Ngidi and and Kagiso Rabada shared seven wickets between them and at the Wanderers, Jansen’s short-ball barrage which led to his five-for and Maharaj’s four wickets saw Australia slump to a third defeat by 100 runs or more, and to Walter, justified how he has put his squad together.”It’s one of the biggest cliches in sport: sticking to the process. But it’s a cliche because it’s true. You have to trust the processes, trust the way you want to play the game.”South Africa want to play fearlessly and understand the other nine teams at the World Cup are aiming for the same. But they also know South African eyes may not be entirely on that for some time. The Rugby World Cup started last week and will conclude on October 29, six matches into South Africa’s Cricket World Cup campaign. That buys the cricketers time, to gauge the national mood, to work on their own game and to start their tournament under the radar. They could not have asked for a more relaxed way to enter the competition, or for more motivation. The Springboks have established themselves as the heartbeat of the nation, and they’ll set the pace but a country needs other things too. Over to you, Proteas.

It’s that familiar time of decade again. We know the drill

Alan Gardner 15-Jan-2022″Football is a simple game: 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.” So said chucklesome crisp salesman, TV presenter and former goalhanger Gary Lineker, whose famous aphorism came to mind during England men’s ongoing tour down under. The Ashes are a straightforward concept: several dozen players and support staff traipse around a country playing Test cricket for six weeks and at the end, England conduct a review on where it all went wrong.That is certainly true for England’s efforts in Australia, where they have worse survival prospects than a box of snow cones left out on the Nullarbor Plain. Never mind that Australia has a reputation for its deadly fauna, after another bleak trip on which the Ashes were decided in just 12 days of competition (less time than England spent in quarantine during the build-up), you wouldn’t be surprised to tune in and find out that Jonny Bairstow had been ruled out of the final Test as a result of being savagely mauled by a quokka.England arrived, as always, with high hopes of winning – or at least not embarrassing themselves, their countrymen and their forefathers (again). But then Rory Burns was bowled behind his legs while doing the polka to the very first ball of the series, and to be frank, it would have saved us all a lot of bother if the old “generate innings” option had been available for the rest.Related

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• England's dereliction of Test cricket threatens the format

• Rahul, Kohli and others direct anger at SA host broadcaster

• Bangladesh end jinx, New Zealand's unbeaten home run stops

It was a familiar crushing blow for fans following back home, and after England had performed so well in their warm-ups. By which we mean, lost three and drawn two out of six home Tests against New Zealand and India during the northern summer. Those two series were “perfect preparation” for the Ashes, in the words of Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach, who is beginning to look like an example of the Peter principle in action (although, in fairness, his side certainly have become accustomed to being beaten).”There are positives to come out of this,” Silverwood added in the wake of England being bowled out for 68 on day three at the MCG, to barely concealed incredulity in most quarters. Although given he became the latest member of the touring party to be forced into isolation a few days later, maybe he was just referring to Covid-19 tests.Then again, Australia have been dragging most Englishmen down to their respective levels of incompetence for some time now. Joe Root’s stellar 2021 with the bat was made to look all the more impressive by how small England’s pond has become – but the Australian attack provided a reminder that there’s always a bigger fish. Root, who has an otherwise decent record as captain, has now lost more times in Australia than Novak Djokovic’s immigration lawyer.

The worry is who Virat might end up targeting next, just to get the competitive juices flowing. Big Pharma? The United Nations? Greta Thunberg?

To add to the ignominy, Root’s opposite number, Pat Cummins, has even started being nice to England. “It’s been really tough for them,” he said. “We are really thankful they are out here as part of the series.” To which the Light Roller would reply: “Of course you are, Pat. The Poms weren’t going to beat themselves sat on the sofa back home, were they?” On second thoughts, maybe don’t answer that – just finish the job and we can allow the ritualistic bloodletting to commence.

****

While Englishness is destiny in the Ashes, across the Tasman Bangladesh didn’t so much as buck a trend as briefly flip the whole space-time continuum on its coconut. Despite their justified reputation for travelling about as well as mango lassi, Mominul Haque’s side played the perfect Test to beat New Zealand on their own patch – where they hadn’t won so much as a game of tiddlywinks before. That is, No. 9-ranked Bangladesh, with five away Test wins in their history, casually knocking over the reigning world Test champions, unbeaten at home in five years. It didn’t take long for the elastic band of reality to snap back hard, however – and you could tell which way things were going when Ebadot Hossein, the hero of Mount Maunganui, somehow saw an outside edge end up being dropped for seven. Bangladesh were beaten by an innings inside three days in Christchurch, and the universe settled back into its groove shortly after.

****

Virat Kohli has always – how shall we put this? – liked a bit of spice. An excuse to get riled up. The opportunity to gain the edge in a contest. But signs have begun to emerge on India’s tour of South Africa that he needs a bigger and bigger dose to get by. Having already become embroiled in a ruck with his own board, following the selectors’ decision to remove him from the ODI captaincy, Kohli finished the Test series by escalating a garden-variety DRS controversy into a head to head with the host broadcaster – and, by extension, the country of South Africa itself. Never mind the stump mics picking up sledging, now they’re being used to give feedback. The worry, of course, is who Virat might end up targeting next, just to get the competitive juices flowing. Big Pharma? The United Nations? Greta Thunberg? Never mind who’s in charge of the nuclear football, it’s Kohli’s buttons we need to be wary of pressing.

The Braves will look to keep pace in the NL playoff picture while keeping another team out of it in the Giants.

The Giants had a successful trip to Los Angeles against the vaunted Dodgers, can the team keep it going against the Braves? The team will hope that rookie Hayden Birdsong can improve on his shaky first outing, but I'm banking on some optimism in his shaky start.

Keep reading to find out why I'm backing the Giants as big underdogs in Atlanta.

Giants vs. Braves Odds, Run Line and Total 

Run Line

Giants: -1.5 (-118)Braves: +1.5 (-102)

Moneyline

Giants: +168Braves: -200

Total: 8.5 (Over 100/Under -122)

Giants vs. Braves Probable PitchersGiants: Hayden Birdsong (0-0, 5.79 ERA)Braves: Raynaldo Lopez (6-2, 1.70 ERA)Giants vs. Braves How to WatchDate: Monday, July 1Time: 9:40 p.m. ESTVenue: Truist ParkHow to watch (TV): Bally Sports South, NBC Sports-Bay AreaGiants Record: 41-44Braves Record: 46-36Giants vs. Braves Key Players to WatchSan Francisco Giants

Heliot Ramos: Ramos appears to finally have a place to stay in the big leagues after going back and forth between the minor leagues in the prior two seasons. Ramos hit .304 in the month of June across 27 starts with eight home runs and 24 RBI’s, giving some life to the Giants mediocre lineup. 

Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna: Enjoying a career year, the 33-year-old Ozuna is in shouting distance of a triple crown bid. He is hitting .300 with 21 home runs and 67 RBI’s as he has done his best to mitigate the loss of Ronald Acuna Jr. in the middle of the Atlanta lineup. While the Braves offense has fallen off as a whole, Ozuna has produced at a high level, which has helped keep Atlanta firmly in the postseason mix. 

Giants vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

San Francisco will start Hayden Birdsong for the second time. While he struggled in his first start, he showcased some serious velocity (85th percentile fastball velocity) and generated swings and misses. 

Against a free-swinging Braves team, Birdsong may be in line to put together a strong start with low expectations. Meanwhile, I’m interested in fading Reynaldo Lopez, who has a 1.70 ERA but an xERA of 3.98. 

Lopez has been outperforming expectations all season long, but I expect regression to settle in as the season goes on. He still has an above average walk rate of more than three batters per nine innings and has been limited to about five innings per start this season. 

With shaky control, Lopez will put a ton of pressure on a below average Braves bullpen, and I’ll side with the Giants group of relievers to do a better job backing up Birdsong and outperform this price.

Lastly, the Giants have been doing better than the Braves at the plate. San Francisco placed 12th in OPS last month while Atlanta was 17th in the same metric. 

I’ll take the big underdog in San Francisco. 

Stand-in captain backs Khawaja to bounce back from back spasm; hopeful of Cummins return at Brisbane

Tristan Lavalette22-Nov-2025

Travis Head made a flying start to Australia’s fourth innings•Getty Images

Still in a whirlwind following a frenetic first Ashes Test, skipper Steven Smith was non-committal over whether Travis Head would continue to open the batting after his 69-ball century powered Australia to a crushing eight-wicket victory at Perth. Head opened the batting for the first time in a Test innings outside of South Asia, replacing Usman Khawaja who had spent some time off the ground in England’s second innings due to back spasms.His elevation, after Marnus Labuschagne had been given the task in the first innings, proved a game-changer and he smashed 123 off 83 balls to knock England’s all-out pace attack off the lengths that had proved so effective on the opening day.The opening positions have been a cause for concern for Australia for some time. With Khawaja, 38, under pressure and Jake Weatherald posting scores of 0 and 23 in his debut, there could be a push for Head to take the role on an ongoing basis in this series.”Let’s just digest this first, the last couple of hours have been pretty incredible,” Smith told reporters after the match. “It’s probably too early to say anything on that, but what we just witnessed was quite incredible. I’m glad to have been in the house to see it.”We didn’t like how things functioned in the first innings with Marn going up top and me batting three. So Trav took it on and played one of the great Ashes knocks.”Related

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Travis Head's 69-ball ton secures remarkable two-day win for Australia

Khawaja was forced off the field during England’s second innings in a recurrence of back spasms he first experienced on day one. He was fit to take the field on day two, but felt further pain after stretching high for a ball that flew above him in the slips.”He was reasonable this morning. I actually thought it was his knee at one point,” Smith said. “Fortunately, it was the same thing [back spasms]. He [Khawaja] said before that it’s probably one of the best back spasms he’s ever had given the circumstances [of Head’s century].Smith said the circumstances around Khawaja’s ill-timed absence in the field in England’s first innings, making him ineligible to open the batting, was a “little frustrating”. Khawaja eventually batted at No.4 and was dismissed for just 2.”Wasn’t ideal, it all happened pretty quickly,” he said. “I got told, I think just before we got the last wicket….that he needed to be on the field to go and bat.”I think that’s why we landed where we landed yesterday [with Labuschagne opening]. Today we had a little bit more time to go through it and work it out.”I mean, those things can happen in the game. No one’s fault. Move on.”Much like Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, Smith defended Khawaja’s decision to play golf prior to the Test match. “He’s not moving particularly well in there, the old fella, but his preparation was the same as it’s been for every Test match I think that he’s played,” he said.”There was nothing out of whack there by any stretch. Unfortunately, he just pulled up a bit lame early in the game. That happens when your back goes.”I’ve been there myself when your back seizes up and it’s not a nice place to be. So I can feel his pain right now.”Offspinner Nathan Lyon had very little to do in the match, bowling just two overs in the seam-friendly conditions. But he did cop a blow to his hip while batting and was visibly wincing in the field.”He’s got a few bruises, keeps showing them off. He’s tough though, he’ll be fine,” Smith said.There has been no update on quick Josh Hazlewood amid fears that he might miss the entire series with a hamstring injury. But Pat Cummins has revealed that he’s a chance of returning for the second Test in Brisbane starting on December 4, as he progresses well from a lower back injury.”It’s on track and pulling up pretty well. [I’m] half a chance for the next game,” Cummins said on the Fox Sports broadcast. “I’m pretty hopeful and it’s probably better than it was a few weeks ago.”

Jahanara Alam, who has not played international cricket since December 2024, claimed that the Bangladesh women’s captain “beats up” her team-mates

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has said it “strongly refutes” allegations of physical abuse made by fast bowler Jahanara Alam against the current national women’s team captain Nigar Sultana.Alam, who has not played international cricket since December 2024, claimed that Sultana “beat up” her team-mates in an interview with Bangladesh newspaper .”The BCB categorically and strongly refutes these allegations, which are baseless, fabricated and devoid of any truth,” the board said in a statement. “The Board finds it unfortunate that such derogatory and scandalous claims have been made at a time when the Bangladesh Women’s Team is showing commendable progress and unity on the international stage.”The Board believes that the timing and nature of these comments are deliberate, ill-intentioned and seemingly aimed at undermining the spirit and confidence of a team that continues to represent the country with pride. It is deeply disappointing that an individual who currently has no involvement or relevance in the plans of Bangladesh cricket has chosen to make such misleading statements in public.””The BCB wishes to make it clear that it has complete trust and confidence in the Women’s National Team’s leadership, players and management. The Board has found no evidence to support any of the claims made and stands firmly behind the team and its personnel.”Bangladesh had finished seventh out of eight teams in the recent Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Their only victory came against Pakistan but they ran England, South Africa and Sri Lanka close.

The squad is missing a few key names, forcing Hayes to continue broadening the player pool ahead of the final two matches of 2025.

To close out the year, U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes has named her final training-camp roster for a pair of friendlies against Euro semifinalists Italy. With the 2027 World Cup creeping closer, Hayes continues to broaden the player pool, calling in three uncapped players once again: Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz, Chicago Stars forward Jameese Joseph, and Washington Spirit defender Kate Wiesner.

This squad features seven changes from October and several notable returns. Hayes has summoned a Chelsea trio – Naomi Girma, Alyssa Thompson, and Catarina Macario – with Girma’s long-awaited comeback headlining the group. The defender has played only four U.S. matches all year, but Hayes has long made her admiration clear.

With injuries, NWSL fatigue, and several fringe players pushing for bigger roles, this camp should offer one last meaningful look at the depth chart before the calendar flips to 2026.

GOAL looks at key takeaways from Hayes' roster release.

• AFP
  

  Girma's return

  Girma returns to the USWNT roster after missing the previous FIFA window with an injury. The defender last appeared for the U.S. on July 2 in a 3-0 win over Canada and has played only four of the team’s 13 matches this year, starting all of them at center back.

  Her return has been long-awaited – and no one seems more thrilled than Emma Hayes. Girma was instrumental in the U.S. run to Olympic gold in 2024, when Hayes famously called her “the best defender I’ve ever seen.”

  In club play, Girma has also dealt with injuries, but she recently worked her way back into Chelsea’s lineup, starting their 6-0 Champions League win over St. Pölten.

  Ahead of camp, Hayes told reporters: “I’m just so happy she’s back… I realize more and more the importance, not just of her qualities on the field, but her quiet leadership – not just in terms of leading the line, but off the field as well.”

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  Goalkeeper questions…answered?

  After the October friendlies, Hayes made it clear she was pretty set on her trio of goalkeepers: Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Claudia Dickey, and Mandy McGlynn. There has been a consistent rotation between all three, with Tullis-Joyce and McGlynn earning three starts and Dickey starting twice. 

  Hayes called on a new face to this camp, with Tullis-Joyce ruled out due to a facial injury she suffered with her club team, Manchester United. This is just the second international call-up for Jordan Silkowitz, who was named to the roster alongside Dickey and McGlynn. Silkowitz earned her first-ever U.S. National team call-up earlier this summer when she played in Germany with the Under-23s. In total, the three goalkeepers in this camp have just eight total career caps. 

  Will Hayes give Silkowitz a shot? Perhaps. She hasn't at all shied away from trying new things during her tenure, and the time is still now to do so. 

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  Chelsea trio called on

  They might not be ‘Triple Espresso’, but Catarina Macario, Girma, and Alyssa Thompson will all represent the USWNT after featuring for Chelsea in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Macario is coming off a standout performance, scoring twice in the Blues’ win over St. Pölten.

  In total, six players on this roster are currently based in Europe – four in England and two in France. Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes feature for Lyon, while Emily Fox plays for Arsenal.

  Macario and Thompson have been consistently dangerous for the USWNT in attack. Thompson already has 22 caps and three goals, and arrived at Chelsea with 15 goals in 63 appearances for Angel City. Macario, meanwhile, has one U.S. goal this year and 13 in 27 career caps, underscoring her long-term impact when healthy.

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  Shaw's big moment

  All eyes will be on forward Jaedyn Shaw this camp, especially as it will be her second-straight call-up to the senior team after she spent two previous FIFA windows with the Under-23s. With the senior team, Shaw has 29 USWNT caps and eight career goals. She also attained a massive milestone when she became the first USWNT player to score in her first five starts. 

  Shaw has been instrumental in Gotham FC's end of the season, too, scoring a clinical overtime free-kick goal to send the NY/NJ team to the 2025 NWSL Championship. 

  Under Hayes, Shaw has been less than consistent, but with her seemingly finding her groove in the playoffs, her confidence is at another level.

Former West Ham boss David Moyes has set his sights on strengthening his Everton ranks in January, with reliable insider ExWHUemployee saying he could now spark a reunion.

West Ham are bracing for a significant clear-out during the January window as Nuno Espírito Santo looks to reshape his struggling squad.

With the Hammers languishing in the relegation zone, several high-profile players could be heading for the exit door.

Niclas Füllkrug tops the list of potential departures, after the German striker reportedly told West Ham he wants to leave in January. The £27 million signing from Borussia Dortmund has endured a nightmare spell plagued by persistent fitness issues, missing 28 games for club and country combined last season, and has failed to make any meaningful impact since his arrival.

His agent has even admitted that a move away would be best for both parties, though West Ham insist they won’t sanction his exit until a suitable replacement is found.

Niclas Füllkrug’s missed games for West Ham and Germany — 2024/2025

Injury

Missing from

Missing until

Games missed

Achilles tendon

08/09/2024

02/12/2024

16

Hamstring injury

11/01/2025

01/04/2025

12

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta is another player reportedly keen on securing a January departure. The Times reported recently that the 28-year-old outright wants to leave, with Fabrizio Romano also confirming in his GiveMeSport newsletter that a Paqueta exit is indeed possible.

Aston Villa came fairly close to signing Paqueta last summer after holding talks, but the move fell through, with West Ham’s star kissing the badge as a show of loyalty after scoring away to Nuno’s Nottingham Forest in August.

Nevertheless, an exit is apparently on the cards for him, as it is for out-of-favour midfielder Guido Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is actively seeking a January exit after a disappointing spell since joining on a free transfer from Real Betis in 2024, with River Plate, Espanyol, Club América and ex-club Betis all vying to sign him for a cheap fee mid-season (El Intransigente).

Young winger Luis Guilherme could also be moved on after failing to establish himself in the first team since his arrival from Palmeiras last year.

ExWHUemployee says David Moyes wants to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham

Finally, James Ward-Prowse appears destined to leave after being immediately axed from the squad following Nuno’s appointment.

Despite being a first-team regular and one of the captains under Graham Potter, the set-piece specialist is not in Nuno’s long-term plans and is resigned to departing in the winter.

Sharing an update on the 30-year-old’s future, ExWHUemployee has claimed that Moyes could look to sign Ward-Prowse for Everton after he initially brought him to the Hammers from Southampton during his spell in charge at the London Stadium.

Ward-Prowse actually did well under Moyes, making an impressive start and providing two assists in a 3-1 home win over Chelsea — becoming the first player to register two assists on his Premier League debut for West Ham.

His first season was rather productive. The midfielder, who Moyes called a “team player”, scored seven goals and registered seven assists in the Premier League alone, totaling 18 goal contributions across all competitions in over 50 appearances.

However, it was all downhill after Moyes left.

Ward-Prowse lost his importance under new manager Julen Lopetegui and was sent on loan to Nottingham Forest. The loan was then terminated mid-season by none other than Nuno, who was in charge of Forest at the time.

He returned to West Ham and played regularly under Graham Potter, but when Potter was dismissed and Nuno ironically became West Ham’s new manager, Ward-Prowse was immediately excluded from the squad again.

Now, Moyes is offering him yet another chance to shine at Everton, and he may well be eager to listen.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Pacaembu está próximo de ser reaberto após cerca de três anos de reformas. A intenção é que o complexo esportivo, localizado na zona oeste de São Paulo, tenha reinaugurações em fases, sendo partidas do Santos e a final da Copinha 2024 como os principais atrativos.

A intenção inicial da Allegra Pacaembu, empresa que detém a concessão do local, é que a decisão da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior aconteça no estádio.

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O próprio presidente da Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF), Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, anunciou que o local está pronto para receber a final da Copinha, em cerimônia realizada em novembro.

Também há interesse mútuo com o Peixe para o clube se tornar a “estrela” do local. Inclusive, Marcelo Teixeira, presidente eleito do Alvinegro, visitou as obras do complexo no dia 1º de dezembro, durante sua campanha.

COPINHA

A Allegra garante que o campo do Pacaembu estará preparado para receber a final da Copinha.No entanto, a decisão sobre o local da partida cabe à FPF. Além disso, os interesses dos clubes futuramente envolvidos na decisão também terão peso. A última final da competição de categorias de base foi disputada entre Palmeiras e América-MG, no Canindé.Para o Pacaembu receber a decisão da Copa São Paulo, também restam as autorizações do poder público do Estado. O aval deve acontecer em um período mais próximo da final.A Copinha seria a “primeira reinauguração” de diversas atrações que protagonizarão a reabertura do Pacaembu. O estádio voltará a funcionar em fases. Por exemplo, é possível que a final da Copa São Paulo não tenha todos os setores do local em pleno funcionamento.

SANTOS COMO ESTRELA

Santos e Allegra mantêm contatos frequentes. O novo presidente do clube, Marcelo Teixeira, tem muito interesse em migrar os jogos do Alvinegro para o local.A ideia da gestão santista é que haja a grande reinauguração do Pacaembu com um jogo do Peixe, no dia 27 de abril, data de aniversário do estádio. Porém, a realização deste evento ainda não está totalmente confirmada.O Pacaembu deve se tornar a casa do Santos durante as obras da Vila Belmiro, que se transformará em Arena.

– Queremos dar entrada na prefeitura para que isso saia do papel. Independente de onde o Santos estiver, seja Paulista, Série B, Série A, Sul-Americana ou Libertadores, nós tiraremos a Vila Belmiro para jogar, como já temos a carta de intenção, no Pacaembu. Há essa intenção, assim como também em outras arenas espalhadas pelo Brasil – disse Marcelo Teixeira, em coletiva após vitória nas eleições.