Martin O’Neill hasn’t just steadied the ship at Celtic, he’s steered it firmly back on course, with Wednesday’s narrow victory over Dundee seeing the Glasgow giants move level on points with Hearts at the Premiership summit – and with a game in hand to boot.

While that recent surge up the table has come amid a mid-season slump for the Jambos, O’Neill could have done little better during his interim stint, recording five successive league wins, while claiming November’s Manager of the Month award.

Parachuted in following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, the 73-year-old has brought calm to the chaos, with the Hoops now firmly back on track both domestically and in Europe.

Although the treble-winning coach may not have overseen a vintage display on his final outing in the dugout, Daizen Maeda’s brave first-half header was another to secure all three points, ensuring new man Wilfried Nancy can aim to build on this momentum heading into the weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.

The Frenchman – finally – will take charge at Parkhead, with Wednesday’s win outlining that there is still plenty of work to be done to right the wrongs of Rodgers’ regime.

Nancy's in-tray at Celtic

Perhaps the most notable point of concern for the incoming 48-year-old will be the raft of injuries that have struck Celtic of late, with left-back Marcelo Saracchi the latest to be struck down on Wednesday.

As O’Neill confirmed post-match, the 27-year-old appears to have pulled his hamstring once again, cruelly curtailing his hopes of genuinely challenging Kieran Tierney in that full-back berth.

The summer signing thus joins the likes of Jota, Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Cameron Carter-Vickers on the sidelines, with the latter man having notably been ruled out for the season following a severe Achilles injury.

Away from the treatment table, a key issue for Nancy to solve will be in the attacking unit, with the likes of Sebastian Tounekti, Yang Hyun-jun and the forgotten Michel-Ange Balikwisha all vying for that left-wing berth.

On the opposite flank, O’Neill has utilised Luke McCowan in recent weeks, although the Scotsman looks far more suited to a creative number ten berth, much like Sweden star Benjamin Nygren.

Equally, too, a decision will have to be made on the make-up of the midfield trio, with Reo Hatate having found his feet again under O’Neill, notably playing that stunning sweeping pass in the build-up to Maeda’s header against Dundee.

Perhaps the biggest debate, however, might be how best to cover for that devastating loss of Carter-Vickers in the backline, with questions still to be asked of the Auston Trusty and Liam Scales partnership.

Celtic's "player of the year" could now be replaced

In a department that has seen such turbulence in recent years, with figures like Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki coming and going without so much as leaving a trace, the news of Carter-Vickers’ lengthy absence will have been a bitter blow for those at Celtic Park.

Chalkboard

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

Unsurprisingly, since then, O’Neill has settled on the experienced duo of Trusty and Scales, although that pairing is not without its problems, as was evident again last night.

Indeed, the Republic of Ireland international was particularly underpar against Steven Pressley’s side, having hardly been his usual dominant self in both boxes.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old won just a solitary duel from four attempts, while failing to win a single tackle, having been dribbled past once in that midweek encounter.

One particular moment of concern came late on, with Scales allowing substitute Ashley Hay to burst in behind and in on goal, albeit with the towering left-footer doing well to narrow the angle for the subsequent attempt on goal.

Callum McGregor

24

Liam Scales

24

Benjamin Nygren

24

Arne Engels

23

Kasper Schmeichel

22

Kieran Tierney

21

Reo Hatate

21

Daizen Maeda

21

Luke McCowan

18

Not his usual threat in an attacking sense either, having registered no shots, dribbles or key passes despite Celtic’s possession dominance, it was a bit of an off night for the former Shamrock Rovers man.

Of course, it has largely been a positive season for the Irishman, having been noted as in the running to be the club’s “player of the year” this term by one podcaster, although as Wednesday showcased, he isn’t without his limitations.

Equally, with the sight of two left-footers deployed together at centre-back still looking somewhat unnatural, Nancy may instead prefer to take a punt on young Dane Murray.

Scales, for what it’s worth, has done little wrong of late, but if Nancy truly wants to progress this team, the steady centre-back may have to be a potential casualty.

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu faces a severe defensive crisis ahead of the pivotal Champions League showdown against Liverpool, as key summer signing Manuel Akanji missed the final training session on Monday, leaving the Nerazzurri dangerously exposed against Arne Slot’s prolific attack.

Chivu rocked by latest fitness concern

The atmosphere at the Inter training centre was noticeably tense on Monday morning as the team conducted their final preparations ahead of the monumental Champions League showdown against Liverpool. What should have been a routine session of tactical fine-tuning turned into a source of major anxiety for head coach Chivu, as key defender Akanji was absent from the group.

The Swiss centre-back, who arrived on loan from Manchester City on deadline day and has since established himself as a pillar of the Nerazzurri backline, did not participate in the final training session before the midweek match. Reports emerging from Appiano Gentile suggest that the defender is suffering from flu-like symptoms, a concern that has cast a shadow over his availability for the upcoming European fixture. For a manager still finding his feet at the elite level like Chivu, losing his most dynamic defender on the eve of facing the English champions poses a huge concern. The club medical staff are reportedly working around the clock, but with the game less than 48 hours away, the odds of the 30-year-old starting are drifting swiftly from possible to unlikely.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportInter stretched thin for Liverpool clash

Akanji's potential absence exposes the fragility of an Inter squad that underwent significant surgery in the summer. When the club sanctioned the loan of Benjamin Pavard to Marseille and brought in the Swiss international as his temporary replacement, the logic was sound: swap one elite defender for another. However, that decision relies heavily on the fitness of the new arrival, and with Akanji now sidelined, the depth chart looks alarmingly thin.

Chivu is now forced to shuffle a pack that is already light on options. The veteran Stefan de Vrij is the natural replacement in the centre of the back three, but the Dutchman lacks the recovery pace that makes Akanji so effective in a high line. Alternatively, the manager could turn to the towering Yann Aurel Bisseck, a player of immense promise but one who arguably lacks the experience for a high-stakes duel against Premier League opposition. The defensive unit, anchored by Alessandro Bastoni, relies on chemistry and fluid movement; removing a key cog like the former Borussia Dortmund man disrupts the entire mechanism. 

Akanji absence could be fatal for Inter

Facing Liverpool is a daunting task at the best of times, but doing so without your quickest centre-back is flirting with disaster. Under Arne Slot, the Reds evolved into a ruthless transition machine, and their attack is specifically designed to exploit gaps in opposition backlines. However, they are set to take to the field without Mohamed Salah amid the breakdown in his relationship with Slot and the Reds' ongoing struggles this season.

Akanji’s greatest asset is his ability to cover wide channels and manage one-on-one situations, traits that are essential when facing the pace of striker Alexander Isak or the creative wizardry of Florian Wirtz. Without him, Inter risk being exposed to rapid counter-attacks, particularly if they try to impose their possession game. De Vrij or Francesco Acerbi offer positional intelligence, but if they are isolated against the speed of the Liverpool forwards, the result could be catastrophic. The English giants are struggling this season with just one win from their last six matches, but they still have the firepower to punish even the smallest error, having beaten Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in the competition before their shock 4-1 defeat at home to PSV last time out.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWhat comes next?

The dilemma facing the Inter boss is classic risk-versus-reward. He could hand a start to Bisseck or De Vrij in the biggest game of the campaign so far, but will be concerned about the structure of his backline for such a big game. A pragmatic approach might see Inter sit deeper to protect their slower defenders, inviting pressure from a Liverpool side that loves to dominate the ball. The final decision will likely be made on the morning of the match, after one last fitness test. Until then, the Nerazzurri camp remains in a state of suspended animation, waiting to see if their defensive leader can pull off a miracle recovery. If not, it will be up to the remaining soldiers to form a shield wall capable of repelling the English invaders.

As Tom Verducci eloquently put it, there is nothing normal about Blue Jays rookie phenom Trey Yesavage’s incredible rise to World Series stardom. 22-year-old rookies simply aren’t supposed to dominate big league lineups that just so happen to include three former MVPs. Add in the fact that Yesavage, who struck out 12 Dodgers without issuing a walk in Toronto's Game 5 win, did so on the game's biggest stage and it makes it even clearer that he's no ordinary rookie.

What‘s perhaps even more astounding is the fact that Yesavage began the year in Class A ball and didn't pitch in the majors until September. He became just the 10th rookie since 2005 to have gone through Single A, High A, Double A and Triple A in the same season as his MLB debut. So with Yesavage fresh off of one the most impressive rookie performances in World Series history, let's take a look at every team the Blue Jays rookie pitched for in 2025 on the road to the Fall Classic.

Every team Trey Yesavage has pitched for in 2025

Dunedin Blue Jays

After being drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2024 MLB draft, Yesavage didn't pitch that season, so his assignment in Dunedin was his first test as a professional baseball player. He aced it. The 6’ 4” righthander pitched to a sparkling 2.43 ERA, striking out 55 batters across 33 1/3 innings pitched.

Even at the Single A level, Yesavage‘s uniquely high delivery was giving opposing hitters fits, just as it would prove to do to big league batters later on.

“All his pitches look the same out of the hand,” MLB‘s No. 1 overall prospect and Pirates minor leaguer Konnor Griffin said. “That’s what makes him so tough. The slider looks like it’s going to be down the middle, you go to swing and then it’s in the dirt…”

And immediately, Yesavage caught Dunedin manager Gil Kim‘s attention for, not just his talent level, but also for his intangibles.

“What Trey stands out for, obviously, is his talent, his ability and his stuff,” Kim said. “But with that being said, he’s been just as impressive to watch how he attacks hitters, how he makes adjustments, how resilient he is when maybe things aren’t flowing as smoothly as you would expect.”

And so after just seven starts, Yesavage on May 16 earned a promotion to High A ball. He was Vancouver-bound.

Vancouver Canadians

Yesavage‘s time in Vancouver was even shorter than his stint in Dunedin. The Pottstown, Pa., native who grew up in the Boyerstown area, made just four starts for the Canadians, but took his game to another level. At a more difficult level of professional baseball, Yesavage allowed almost an entire earned run less on average and continued to strike out more than a batter per inning. He tossed 4 1/3 no-hit innings in a May 31 start for Vancouver, leading to another quick promotion for the phenom. On June 9, he was headed to Double A New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

It was in New Hampshire with the Fisher Cats where Yesavage experienced his first taste of big league adversity. Yesavage walked four in four innings but only yielded one earned run in his Double A debut. New Hampshire pitching coach Austin Bibens-Dirkx told MLB.com that he and his staff made some “minor physical tweaks” during Yesavage’s stint with the club but emphasized one thing.

“The biggest thing is trying not to screw him up, honestly,” he said.

At that task, they certainly succeeded, as Yesavage continued to showcase his elite swing-and-miss stuff with the Fisher Cats, striking out 46 batters over 30 innings pitched, even though his ERA was north of 4.00 in seven starts with New Hampshire.

To this point, Yesavage had largely worked roughly four innings and thrown 70–75 pitches per outing. But the Fisher Cats, in perhaps the first real sign of an organization preparing a youngster for meaningful innings later on, had Yesavage work out of the bullpen in his final appearance with New Hampshire, handling an 89-pitch workload over five innings.

On August 11, Yesavage was called up to Triple A Buffalo.

Buffalo Bisons

Yesavage isn't just tough on opposing hitters. He can be tough on his own catchers, as backstop Brandon Valenzuela quickly discovered during an Aug. 27 outing, in which the Blue Jays righthander's unique delivery literally threw him for a loop.

“It was really, really bright, and I told him, ‘Bro, I don’t see the ball well, and I’m the one catching it,’” Valenzuela said. “We’re just going to keep spamming and spamming splitters because they couldn’t see it either.”

It turns out that not many were seeing the ball well out of Yessavage’s hand during his Bisons tenure, as he recorded 26 more strikeouts in 17 1/3 frames along with a 3.63 ERA. Yesavage was utilized out of the bullpen briefly during his time with Buffalo, but his final Triple-A appearance was as a starter.

On Sept. 14, he got the call: He was heading to the show.

“We expected him to be good,” Blue Jays pitching coordinator Ricky Meinhold told MLB.com in September. “But I’d be lying to you if I told you we expected what he’s done.”

Toronto Blue Jays

Despite pitching 98 innings in the minors—more than he had during his final college season—Yesavage was given no workload limitations by Blue Jays manager John Schneider. It was same old Yesavage in his first big league start against the Rays on Sept. 15. The 22-year-old fanned nine batters, a franchise rookie record for a debut, over five innings, yielding just one earned run in the process.

And even though Yesavage endured a rough outing in his second appearance, the Blue Jays had seen enough through his three total starts at the big league level to make him a part of their American League Division Series roster against the Yankees.

And in each round of the postseason, he has rewarded the Blue Jays for their faith in him, from his 11-strikeout playoff debut against New York, to his gritty Game 6 American League Championship Series victory over Seattle to his 12-strikeout World Series gem vs. the Dodgers in Game 5.

Of his incredible story and ride to the majors, Yesavage said it best.

“Crazy world,” Yesavage said. “Hollywood couldn’t have made it this good.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A possível saída de Cássio gerou enorme repercussão dentro do Corinthians, tanto entre a diretoria quanto no elenco alvinegro. Os dirigentes corintianos ainda tentam algumas “cartas na manga” para manter o goleiro, mas sua transferência ao Cruzeiro parece iminente.

➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

continua após a publicidade

Internamente, o sentimento é que que perder Cássio para um rival de Série A será mais um golpe na gestão. A diretoria tem sofrido com problemas políticos e bastidores bastante conturbados, principalmente após o rompimento de Augusto Melo com o seu ex-diretor de futebol Rubens Gomes, o Rubão.

Além disso, o goleiro, mesmo em má fase tecnicamente e perdendo a posição de titular para Carlos Miguel, é muito querido pelos jogadores e funcionários, que o veem como uma liderança. Desta forma, o veterano pode ser um aliado para blindar o elenco do Corinthians de problemas externos.

continua após a publicidade

Enquanto isso, todos no clube do Parque São Jorge estão aguardando a decisão de Cássio, mas não conversam muito profundamente sobre o assunto. Principalmente os atletas, que querem dar espaço para que o goleiro e capitão tome a sua decisão sem ser influenciado por outras pessoas. O desejo do elenco é de que ele permaneça, mas a decisão escolhida tem o respeito geral.

Tudo sobre

Cássio Roberto RamosCorinthians

تحدث الألماني توماس مولر، لاعب فرانكوفر وايت كابس عن مواجهة ليونيل ميسي قائد إنتر ميامي في نهائي الدوري الأمريكي.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه إنتر ميامي بقيادة ميسي نظيره وايت كابس بتواجد مولر، مساء اليوم، السبت، في تمام الساعة التاسعة والنصف مساءً بوقيت القاهرة.

من المعلوم أن توماس مولر أحد اللاعبين الذين تغلبوا على ليو ميسي أكثر من غيرهم في مسيرته الكروية، سواءً مع بايرن ميونخ أو المنتخب الألماني.

وحول ذلك قال مولر، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا”: “أنا سعيد بأدائي ضد فرق ميسي سابقًا، لكن هذا لا يهم إطلاقًا في هذا النهائي، لديّ شعور جيد، ليس بالفوز بل بكيفية تعاملنا مع المباراة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | مارك جويهي يحسم رغبته بشأن وجهته القادمة بين بايرن ميونخ وقطبي إسبانيا

وأضاف: “الماضي لا يهم لكن من الجميل دائمًا مواجهة أولئك الذين واجهتهم مرات عديدة وانتصرت عليهم”.

ومن المقرر أن تكون هذه المباراة الأخيرة بالنسبة للثنائي سيرجيو بوسكيتس وجوردي ألبا في مشوارهما وسيعتزلان كرة القدم.

حول ذكرياته معهما، أتم مولر: “كانا لاعبين عظيمين لفريقيهما ولكرة القدم بشكل عام، شخصيتان عظيمتان في هذه اللعبة، قدوتان في مراكزهما، وأرفع لهما القبعة تقديرًا لمسيرتيهما”.

In the most anticipated award race of the 2025 season, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh finished second in voting for the 2025 American League MVP award Thursday, falling to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Raleigh's historic season for the Mariners, which helped the club reach Game 7 of the ALCS, wasn’t enough to earn him the prestigious award over Judge, who took home his second straight AL MVP and the third of his career.

It was a close race, too.

Of the 30 ballots submitted by the BBWAA, Judge received 17 votes for first place—barely eking out Raleigh, who took home 13 first-place votes. It was the closest vote for MVP in either league since Angels star Mike Trout received 17 first-place votes to win the 2019 AL MVP over Astros slugger Alex Bregman (13 votes).

Here’s a closer look at the voting for the top-five 2025 AL MVP finishers:

2025 AL MVP voting—full results (top five)

PLAYER

1ST PLACE

2ND PLACE

3RD PLACE

TOTAL POINTS

Aaron Judge, Yankees

17

13

0

355

Cal Raleigh, Mariners

13

17

0

335

José Ramírez, Guardians

0

0

19

224

Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

0

0

9

215

Tarik Skubal, Tigers

0

0

1

139

RELATED: Every MLB Player Who Received Exactly One MVP Vote

Raleigh led the American League with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs; he also scored 110 runs on the season for Seattle. No catcher in MLB history has hit more homers in a single season than Raleigh, but Judge’s otherworldly bWAR (9.7) and OPS (1.144) was too much for Raleigh to overcome in the eyes of the voters.

Raleigh would have become just the 13th catcher in MLB history to win an MVP award, and the first since Buster Posey captured the title for the San Francisco Giants in 2012.

Full list of MLB catchers to win MVP

PLAYER

TEAM

YEAR

bWAR

Buster Posey

Giants

2012

7.6

Joe Mauer

Twins

2009

7.6

Ivan Rodriguez

Rangers

1999

6.1

Thurman Munson

Yankees

1976

5.0

Johnny Bench

Reds

1972

8.5

Johnny Bench

Reds

1970

7.1

Elston Howard

Yankees

1963

5.0

Roy Campanella

Dodgers

1955

5.0

Yogi Berra

Yankees

1955

4.2

Yogi Berra

Yankees

1954

5.0

Roy Campanella

Dodgers

1953

6.8

Roy Campanella

Dodgers

1951

6.3

Yogi Berra

Yankees

1951

4.5

Ernie Lombardi

Reds

1938

5.3

Gabby Hartnett

Cubs

1935

4.8

Mickey Cochrane

Tigers

1934

3.7

Mickey Cochrane

Athletics

1928

3.4

Bob O’Farrell

Cardinals

1926

3.4

The black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the first Test

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Nov-20251:43

Can Rabada make an impact in India?

Reverse swing will potentially play a key role in the first Test between India and South Africa starting November 14 in Kolkata. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the surface at Eden Gardens, which will host a Test match for the first time in six years, will have good bounce but is expected to start slowing down by the halfway mark.It is understood that the black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the Test with the grass cover expected to be barely a couple of millimetres by the time the match begins. While the second Test of the West Indies series, played in Delhi, was also a black-soil pitch, it is understood the Eden Gardens surface will not be a docile track like the one at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where India won by seven wickets on the fifth day.West Indies played the two-match series on completely contrasting pitches with the first match, in Ahmedabad, played on one of the greenest strips in India in recent times with four mm of live grass on a red-soil pitch with good bounce. The match finished inside three days as West Indies suffered a bruising innings defeat, lasting 44.1 and 45.1 overs in their two innings.Related

Are India mulling Kuldeep vs allrounder?

South Africa return to India without fear of the Turnado

Dhruv Jurel: too good to keep out, too good to just keep

Bavuma to return as SA captain for India Tests

Pant returns to India's Test squad for SA series

In the wake of India’s 3-0 whitewash last year at home against New Zealand, India will be wary of preparing rank turners both in Kolkata and Guwahati against South Africa. It is understood that the Eden Gardens pitch is expected to roughen up quickly facilitating reverse swing for the fast bowlers. There is another encouraging fact for the quicks there: in the last 15 years, it is Kolkata where fast bowlers have recorded the highest wicket percentage (61%) with 97 wickets in six red-ball Tests.Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir visit the Kolkata playing surface•Associated Press

Another factor that is likely to be favourable to seamers is the cooler temperatures both in the first hour of the morning and final hour of the evening which could potentially aid lateral movement. All these factors combined could amount to the toss not playing a defining role. Also, while the outfield at Eden Gardens is among the quickest owing to the black soil (different from the one used for the pitch), the batters are likely to face the challenge once the pitch starts slowing down as the Test progresses.South Africa arrived in India on the back of their series-levelling Test win in Rawalpindi recently against Pakistan. The Pakistan series, which was played on spin-friendly pitches, saw South Africa’s trio of slow bowlers – Senuran Muthusamy (Player of the Series), Keshav Maharaj (Player of the Match in Rawalpindi) and Simon Harmer (second-highest wicket-taker in the series) – excel before arriving in India.This will be the fourth Test for South Africa at Eden Gardens where they won on their first visit in 1996 but lost the last two – in 2004 and 2010. The last Test played at the venue was in 2019 when India defeated Bangladesh under lights in a pink-ball Test. The last red-ball Test played in Kolkata was in 2017, against Sri Lanka, which ended in a draw.

England's World Cup 2026 kick-off times and venues have been finally confirmed as Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions are set to face Croatia, Panama and Ghana in the group stage next summer. England learned their opponents during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, DC, on Friday evening. The European Championship runners-up side will play their three group games in three different cities.

• England learn World Cup match venues and kick-off times

  A day after England learned that they are clubbed in Group L alongside Croatia, Panama and Ghana, the Three Lions have been informed about their match venues and kick-off times. Thomas Tuchel's side will endure a complicated commute as they are set to play their first match against Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas on June 17.

  Their next match will be six days later against Ghana at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and their final match will be held at New York's MetLife Stadium on June 27 against Panama. 

  The fans, who will watch the matches from back home in the UK, will have to tune in at 9 pm for the first two matches, while the final Panama clash will kick off at 10 pm. 

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Tuchel shares opinion on England's draw

  Speaking about his team's 2026 World Cup draw, Tuchel claimed that it was a tricky one as he told reporters: "We have Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups, and we have Panama. I don’t know much about Panama, but we will know everything about them when the tournament starts. For me personally, even in the Champions League, you have to focus on the group – the group is always the most difficult, and we want to escape, and we want to win the group. It’s a tough one.

  "No one should be underestimated. Of course, Croatia is the standout name [and] the highest-ranked team from Pot 2 that we got into our group. It’s a difficult opener against Croatia. We take it from here." 

  The German coach added: "Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise, and has a big history in World Cup football," he said. "Also, Panama will try to make the most of the underdog role. No one can be underestimated – everyone deserves the fullest respect, and we will show that."

• Tuchel's dig at World Cup draw

  The Three Lions boss did not appreciate the long draw ceremony which dragged on for a long time. Before the actual draw, the United States President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino designating it for a person who has "taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace" and "united people across the world". Trump was given a large gold trophy, a medal, and a certificate, while Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand was also heavily involved in the draw. 

  Going by the England boss' comments, he didn't appear to be a fan of the whole affair. He told : "I do not, not like it but we could have done it like, without all of this. I don't need it. But of course, it's a huge stage and it's big entertainment. I was very well aware that it's not about the deep insight of football today."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Which team did Tuchel prefer as possible group opponent?

  Further sharing his thoughts on the draw and the opponents England will face, Tuchel added: "I had no preference because why would I worry? I cannot influence. The legends took the draw and this is what we get and what we have to deal with now. We know now our opponents, we know we will start late in the tournament if players are involved in European finals, hopefully. We didn't desire anything we just handled the situation as it is. You get a little more days before and then you get a condensed schedule later in the tournament. Everything comes with in upside and downside."

India A were in trouble against a fired-up SA A attack on a green seamer before Jurel’s lower-order rearguard steadied the innings

Shashank Kishore06-Nov-2025Dhruv Jurel’s recent form has been hard to ignore. Scores of 124, 44, and 6* against West Indies showcased his consistency and growing maturity as a batter. With Rishabh Pant’s return to the Test fold imminent, Jurel is now making a strong case to be considered purely as a specialist batter.That scenario might soon become reality if India decide to strengthen their middle order with a specialist No. 6 instead of an allrounder. The tussle for that spot could well come down to a battle between Jurel and Nitish Reddy.On Thursday, with India A in deep trouble against a fired-up South Africa A attack on a green seamer at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Jurel’s lower-order rearguard not only steadied the innings but also helped steer them to respectability. En route, he brought up his fourth first-class century – remarkably, three of those have come since June.Only a couple of months ago, he compiled a brilliant hundred against Australia A in Lucknow on a turner. This one in seaming conditions was equally masterful in the way he helped steady a floundering innings. From 124 for 7, he helped add 131 for the last three wickets as India A ended 255 all out at stumps. Jurel was 132 not out, an innings that comprised 12 fours and four sixes.Jurel’s other competitor for a middle order berth in India A’s XI on Thursday, Devdutt Padikkal, managed just 5 – his third-straight single-digit score. Padikkal, like Jurel, had impressed against Australia A and in the Ranji Trophy, but may have slipped behind in the race for a recall after having most recently played for India last November in Perth.Rishabh Pant bowls during tea break•PTI The morning began with Abhimanyu Easwaran bagging a three-ball duck – missing out yet again for India A, after he played down the wrong line to a nip-backer from Okhule Cele that trapped him plumb in front. KL Rahul, his opening partner, tucked himself to three boundaries in a single over – a cover drive, glide over the slips and neat leg glance – but fell chasing an away-going delivery that he tried to drive on the up off left-arm seamer Tiaan van Vuuren.B Sai Sudharsan looked tentative once again. On nought for 12 deliveries, he was finally off the mark when he laced a half-volley through the covers to pick up a boundary. Troubled by the moving ball, Sai Sudharsan stood well outside the crease and then tried to advance further down to negate the late movement – something that often got him into trouble.He was eventually felled by Subrayen, the offspinner, when he played for the skid, only to see the ball rip away to beat the outside edge and hit his back pad. Sudharsan made a 52-ball 17 to go with scores of 32 and 12 in the first four-day fixture last week.Coming off a 90, Pant seemed intent on taking the attack to the bowlers from the get-go. He charged out of the crease off his very first delivery, and hit Subrayen for a slog-sweep and lofted hit off consecutive balls – the highlights in his 20-ball 24 – before he was out looking to clear the infield.Van Vuuren challenged batters both off the inside and outside edges by getting the ball to move late and then seam off the surface, one such delivery accounting for Harsh Dubey as he was early into the flick only for the ball to bobble off the back part of the bat onto the body, and eventually the stumps.Kuldeep Yadav suffered an early concussion scare on 2 when the wicketkeeper ran into him and had him land awkwardly on the floor with his helmet bouncing up. After a few uncomfortable moments, he regained composure and battled his way against some quality seam bowling. Reprieved on 7 by Zubayr Hamza in the slips just before tea, Kuldeep helped add 79 for the eighth-wicket with Jurel, who was solid, showed patience and didn’t play a rash shot at any stage as he brought up a 62-ball half-century.Jurel was equally adept both off the front and back foot against the moving ball, cutting and driving imperiously. The secret to his knock lay in playing late and getting a big forward stride off the seamers to cover for any late movement. After initially playing with his bat close to the body, and keen on crease occupation, Jurel seamlessly switched gears to put away the bad balls, eventually bringing up his century off 146 deliveries to single-handedly bail India A out on a bowling day.

We are still several months away from the World Cup taking place in America in 2026 and while the play-offs to finalise the final few places at next year’s tournament are yet to take place, we now know who England will be facing.

Thomas Tuchel was brought into the Three Lions setup by the FA with one goal. To win the next World Cup.

Well, he can now begin to plot out the route it will take to make the final and potentially lift football’s biggest prize.

Can England end over 60 years of hurt? Time well. Here’s who they’re set to face in the USA next summer and how the rest of the draw played out.

Who are England facing and when?

England were drawn in group L, the final group. They were drawn against Croatia, the nation that beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and Panama, a side they also faced back in 2018, demolishing them 6-1 in the group stages. Rounding off that group is Ghana who were one of the last balls to come out in the draw.

England’s World Cup group

Opponent

Date

1. Croatia

Wednesday 17th June

2. Ghana

Tuesday 23rd June

3. Panama

Saturday 27th June

What is the rest of the draw?

The first match of the tournament sees joint hosts Mexico take on South Africa, a repeat of the first game of the 2010 World Cup. They will also face Korea Republic and await the winner of a play-off to determine their other match.

Fellow hosts Canada take on Qatar and Switzerland while awaiting another play-off winner while USA face Paraguay, Australia and a play-off winner.

We all love a group of death and next year’s looks as though it could well be Group I which sees France, Senegal, Norway and a play-off winner compete for a place in the knock-out stages.

England's route to the final

Providing England win their group, then they will face a team that finished third in the group stages in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

Awaiting them in the last 16 could be host nation Mexico, before a possible quarter-final awaits against Brazil. In the semi-finals it’s likely they would have to face France. Talk about a tough route.

In the final, it could be a repeat of the showpiece event from the last European Championships, where either Spain or Argentina could await if everything goes according to the script.

Could Messi and Ronaldo face each other?

Well, Messi’s Argentina are set to face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in group J and if they finish top, then their likely route to the final would see them face Saudi Arabia or Uruguay in the last 32.

A tie against the USA or Egypt could await in the last 16. Portugal or Colombia are expected to be their quarter-final opponents before they could face one of Brazil, the Netherlands or Tuchel’s Three Lions in the semi-finals.

As for Ronaldo, his final chance of winning a World Cup will see him face Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner in the group stages before potential matches against Croatia or England in the last 16 and France or Messi’s Argentina in the quarter-finals await.