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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is coming under increasing pressure after his side moved closer to the relegation zone, and Brendan Rodgers is now a contender to take over at Elland Road.

Despite a decent start to the Premier League campaign, the Whites have begun to feel the reality of how difficult it is to claim a regular stream of results in the top-flight as other clubs begin to get their act together after indifferent performances.

Nottingham Forest fit that bracket and took Leeds apart last weekend at the City Ground, leaving the Yorkshire outfit one point above West Ham United and two above the Tricky Trees, who are beginning to show signs of life under Sean Dyche.

With pressure mounting on Farke to deliver results, he responded post-match by indicating that his side have to be better when it comes to fine margins, something that can so often determine whether newly-promoted sides are able to stay in the top division.

He told BBC Sport: “Football games on this level are decided with small details. We have to make sure we are more switched on. We concentrate on the things we can influence and should have defended the cross situation. It was crucial.

“We didn’t follow their full-back and that can happen, but not after we’ve just celebrated. We lost two 50/50 duels, and then the cross comes in. We could have defended the situation more competitively.”

Journalist Graham Smyth labelled the Whites’ performance “desperately poor” and some supporters are now at the point of demanding change at Elland Road.

In that case, who could come in to replace Farke at Leeds? Ian Ladyman has let slip one potential contender that could come to the forefront if that scenario were to take place.

Leeds could replace Daniel Farke with Brendan Rodgers

According to Daily Mail football editor Ladyman, Leeds could replace Farke with former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after he left the Scottish champions following a public fallout with Dermot Desmond last month.

Suggesting that the Irishman may well be a candidate to take over at Elland Road, he explained: “Now we are eleven games in and Leeds are on a bit of a sticky run with only win in six and games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to come the other side of the international break.

How has Brendan Rodgers fared in the Premier League?

Matches

302

Wins

139

Draws

71

Losses

102

Points claimed

488

“Farke doesn’t deserve the sack, far from it. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get it. And the moment Brendan Rodgers left Celtic a couple of weeks ago, every manager in the lower half of the Premier League became a little more vulnerable.”

Intriguingly, he averaged over two points per game in his second spell at Celtic, adding another two Scottish Premiership titles, a Scottish Cup and a Premier Sports Cup to his haul of 11 trophies while in Glasgow.

Leeds could sign a talented Championship star in January

Of course, his time at Liverpool and Leicester City is still fresh in the memory, and the Carnlough native may be the sensible choice to replace Farke at Leeds due to his ability to turn the tide via his man-management skills.

Manchester United edged closer to finally winning five successive games in the Premier League when they won their third in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo scored two of the club’s four goals in the game, whilst Casemiro got on the scoresheet and Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for United since his move from Wolves.

Interestingly, the Red Devils were up against a player they were reportedly willing to smash their club transfer record on, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The Premier League giants were reportedly keen on a deal for the defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window, before INEOS decided against a big-money move for him.

Baleba, however, was substituted in the 59th minute of the match, having failed to provide any goals or assists, whilst Casemiro, his direct opponent, scored and provided an assist.

The Brighton midfielder’s performance on Saturday, coupled with his displays throughout this season, may make the club think twice about any potential move for him in a future transfer window.

Why Man Utd may not make a move for Carlos Baleba

The left-footed star’s drop-off in form from last season to the current campaign is cause for concern at Old Trafford, as it shows a lack of consistency in his game.

In the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, Baleba won 55% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton.

The 21-year-old midfield talent also scored three goals and provided one assist for his club, with his performances leading to interest from Manchester United in the summer.

Unfortunately, though, Baleba has been unable to kick on and continue his fine form on the pitch in the Premier League this season, after he did not get a move away from Brighton during the transfer window.

The United target’s defensive numbers are down across the board through the opening nine matches of the 2025/26 campaign, which may be a red flag for the Red Devils recruitment department.

Appearances

34

9

Goals

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.7

2.1

Clearances per game

1.3

0.9

Duels won per game

5.8

3.1

Ground duel success rate

55%

41%

Fouls made per game

1.2

1.4

As you can see in the table above, Baleba’s form has dropped off a cliff this term, from a defensive perspective, as he has gone from being dominant in duels to being dominated by opposition players.

This is why Ruben Amorim and INEOS may be hesitant to make a club-record move, of more than £89m, for the Brighton man in January or next summer, as his current performance level shows that he has not been consistently impressive.

Man Utd preparing move for LaLiga midfielder

According to a report in Spain, via Stretty News, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the upcoming January window.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to make a move for the France international to bolster their options in the middle of the park next year.

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It adds that the Premier League giants have made Camavinga a ‘top priority’ target and that they are prepared to offer around £70m to secure his signature from the Spanish side.

The outlet reveals, though, that Real Madrid are not in any rush to cash in on the former Rennes star, and that it would potentially take more than £70m to convince them to part ways with the midfielder.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to do enough to convince Real Madrid to sell Camavinga, or if they will be able to convince the player to make the move to Old Trafford, with no European football on offer this season.

Why Man Utd should sign Eduardo Camavinga

Manchester United should press ahead with a deal for the French central midfielder because he would be an upgrade on Baleba, as an even better signing for Amorim’s midfield.

The left-footed star, who scored his first goal in the Champions League last month, provided a timely reminder of his quality in the El Clásico at the weekend, winning eight of his 12 duels and completing all three of his attempted dribbles in a 2-1 win over Barcelona, per Sofascore.

Camavinga, who has been utilised at left-back, centre-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield by Real, has shown more consistency and quality in his performances than Baleba over the past 365 days in all competitions.

The chart above shows that the France international has outperformed the Brighton star in a host of key midfield statistics both in and out of possession in the past year.

On top of that, the £70m-rated midfielder, who was described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, has outperformed Baleba at league level so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

Appearances

6

9

Sofascore rating

6.96

6.53

Tackles made per game

1.8

1.0

Dribbled past per game

0.7x

0.7x

Duels won per game

4.3

3.1

Ground duel success rate

74%

41%

Fouls per game

0.3

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the Real Madrid star has been significantly more effective as a defensive presence in the middle of the park at league level this season, winning 1.2 more duels per game and winning a far higher percentage of his ground duels.

Perhaps the most telling statistic is their respective fouls made per game. Camavinga rarely trips up and has to foul opposition players, whilst Baleba is committing over one foul per match on average, which shows that he is losing duels and having to resort to fouls to break up play.

Overall, Camavinga appears to be the better option out of the two, as evidenced by both his form this season and over the past 365 days, as a defensive midfield signing for United in the January transfer window.

This is why INEOS should forget about a move for Baleba and concentrate their efforts on attempting to sign the Real Madrid midfielder next year.

British prodigy who’s like Lampard has made huge decision about joining Man Utd in January

He has a massive future ahead of him.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 28, 2025

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”.

Former India captain Mithali Raj and wicketkeeper-batter Ravi Kalpana will have stand named after them at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The stands will be unveiled on October 12 ahead of India’s women’s ODI World Cup match against Australia.The decision was taken after India opener Smriti Mandhana made the suggestion to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh during the chat in August.”The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honouring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger,” the ACA said in a statement.”Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment,” minister Lokesh said. “Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”Raj, a former India captain and a stalwart of women’s cricket, holds the record for the most runs in women’s ODIs. She scored 7805 runs from 232 ODIs at an average of 50.68 with seven centuries.In 89 T20Is, she scored 2364 runs with 17 fifties at 37.52, while in 12 Tests, Raj scored 699 runs in 19 innings at 43.68 with a highest score of 214, the best for an India batter in the format. She retired from all formats of the game in 2022, bringing down the curtain on a career that spanned 23 years.Kalpana played seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, and her rise to the India team has inspired several cricketers from the region, such as Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana and N Shree Charani.

Manchester United are in transition, but after a 2024/25 campaign that must be buried and forgotten, Ruben Amorim has succeeded in endowing his squad with more zest and zeal than was previously on display.

Amorim’s United have a perfectly respectable Premier League record so far this season. Seventh in the standings, the five-match unbeaten streak has eased the pressure and placed the side in a promising position, only four points behind second-place Manchester City.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have played crucial parts in achieving this. INEOS have revamped the Red Devils’ frontline, and now there is far more togetherness and understanding when on the attack.

But, as United look to wedge their way back into the Champions League and then compete for that silver cup after so many years, Amorim may fancy a higher breed of player, and it would indeed appear that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co are aiming for the stars.

Man Utd eyeing marquee signing

Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but for too long they have struggled to match that reputation with sustained success on the field.

While the Theatre of Dreams crop have edged back onto the once-trodden path, it seems INEOS are interested in a marquee addition to balance against the shrewd summer signings. Someone like Cristiano Ronaldo, perhaps?

Not an easy task, replicating that one-time signing under Sir Alex Ferguson, which proved to be one of the best in the history of the game, with CR7 of course now recognised as one of the finest and most accomplished footballers in history.

But United should be aiming to sign one of the game’s superstars, a game-changer whose quality differs from everyone else under Amorim’s wing.

Maybe that’s why Man United are interested in striking a deal for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, whose future in the Spanish capital has been a hot topic for several years at this stage.

Vinicius Jr, 25, is reported by Spanish sources to be considering a shock departure from Real Madrid, given that he no longer feels like the protagonist next to Kylian Mbappe.

United are on red alert, and are even understood to have prepared a £200m offer to lure him away from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Chelsea are also long-term admirers, and so INEOS and Jason Wilcox would need to act speedily to get this one over the line.

What Vinicius Junior would offer Man Utd

Vinicius Jr is widely recognised as one of the most talented forwards of his generation. Having joined Real Madrid from Flamengo for just south of £39m in 2018, the Brazilian has scored 111 goals and supplied 87 assists across 338 senior outings, notably winning two Champions League and three La Liga titles.

A big-game player and with so many different ways to hurt his opponents, the £353k-per-week talent has been embroiled in something of a tumultuous year at Real Madrid, and it’s starting to look increasingly likely that he will not see out the duration of his prime in the iconic white shirt.

Mercurial, dynamic and always dangerous, Vinicius Jr is blessed with such frightening speed and control when on the ball, such creativity when zipping up and down the left flank.

Hailed as a “legend in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Vinicius Jr could reach that potential by completing a reversal of Ronaldo’s record-breaking transfer to Spain way back when, taking his world-class reputation and hitting new heights in a different league.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up’s volatile nature at times is also part of what makes him special. He is a natural-born competitor, and he hates losing. Perhaps Man United need such a player, someone with the aura and determination of Ronaldo.

There have been several flare-ups in Spain this season for the South American star. He has been somewhat at odds with new manager Xabi Alonso, and he has blanked across his past four La Liga matches, albeit still having scored five goals and provided four assists across 12 matches.

But there’s no denying Mbappe has taken on the focal role, and it is for this reason that Vini might want to leave, moving to United and earning greater tactical freedom to play across the frontline and in a role that would see him designated as the club’s superstar.

Left winger

284

86

73

Centre-forward

60

29

15

Right winger

14

3

2

Attacking midfield

2

1

0

Ronaldo proved he could do it over several years in the Premier League, but then he transcended expectations when moving to Real Madrid and becoming their main man.

The Portuguese legend scored 145 goals for United across two spells, winning the Ballon d’Or – the first of five – in 2008 and claiming three Premier League titles and the first of many Champions League trophies across that glittering first stint, led by Sir Alex.

Vinicius Jr has enjoyed illustrious success in Spain and is accepted by all as one of the game’s finest. But could it be that he too needs to enjoy the talismanic handle to hit his finest form? In this, he could find that United offer the perfect platform for him to slide into, tackling a project that needs plenty of work but is showing the signs of a corner turned.

Under Amorim’s guidance at Old Trafford, he could achieve this, emulating his Los Blancos idol in leaving Real Madrid after sustained success and forging a new path.

The respective situations are hardly identical, but there are undoubtedly similarities, and Vincius Jr has the power and personality to hit the jackpot in England and lead the Man United resurgence, combining with Mbeumo and Cunha and Benjamin Sesko to restore United to their one-time power as a behemoth of the British and European game.

Forget Bruno and De Ligt: Man Utd "monster" is looking like a new captain

This Manchester United star is now looking like captain material for Ruben Amorim this season.

ByDan Emery Nov 17, 2025

From Cavan Sullivan exceeding expectations to a quietly solid back line, GOAL breaks down five key takeaways on the U.S. U17s ahead of their World Cup clash with Morocco.

The U17 World Cup feels important for the U.S. This is a breeding ground of talent, yes, but also a true barometer of where the country's talent pool stands. And, in theory, the U.S. has a pretty good one. Cavan Sullivan is the headliner, of course, but in Mathis Albert, Chase Adams, and Julian Hall, there are enough good footballers here to suggest that they could make a run. 

The group stage only reinforced that notion. Gonzalo Segares' side hasn't exactly blown anyone away, but they have been remarkably composed. The Americans have conceded just once, and looked mightily resolute at the back. Going forward, they have been carried by individuals, but also created chances in spades. Sullivan is finding form, while Albert has enjoyed some promising moments of his own.

Piece it all together, and this is a side well-equipped to continue to win. It isn't a kind matchup on Friday. Morocco are a good team, who are certainly better than their 1-2 record in the group stage that saw them squeak into the round of 32. GOAL looks at the major takeaways from the tournament so far, and evaluates the Americans ahead of their round of 32 matchup…

GettyCavan is cooking

This felt like a big tournament for Sullivan. The hype around the Philadelphia Union product was immense just a year ago. But since then, his star has faded a little. His MLS minutes were few, and his only start came in the U.S. Open Cup. This future Man City player was largely playing in MLS Next Pro. 

The U17 World Cup, then, felt significant. Sullivan needed to perform here, if only to show that he still has that bit of quality to show that he can still make a difference for club and country. And he has shown up in style. Sullivan came off the bench in the U.S.'s opening game against Burkina Faso, complete with a new haircut and a brash attitude about him. His impact was almost immediate. The U.S. were struggling, and the Union product offered the piece of magic necessary to pick up a result. Sullivan responded with a Panenka penalty to give them a 1-0 win. 

He was even better in the second game, making an impact from the start. He began the game in a deeper role, but was an active presence throughout, scoring one and assisting another as the U.S. beat Tajikistan, 2-1. He had two good efforts at goal against Czechia, in the game after, and was unfortunate not to find the net as the U.S. managed a 1-0 win. Early days, but the signs are good.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAlbert improving

If Sullivan is the known quantity of the U.S., then Albert is the wildcard. Sure, he has already made some noise at Dortmund, but he remains a raw playmaker, the kind of kid to get excited about – but not place expectations on. Some who have worked with him extensively insist that he, not Sullivan, is the best player in his age group. That may or may not be true, but the reality remains: Albert should perform here. 

And his efforts to do so started pretty poorly. He watched from the bench while Sullivan bagged the winner in the first game. He was much better in the second, scoring off a Sullivan assist. And then, he made the difference in the third, bursting into the box before providing a lovely curved finish around a helpless goalkeeper. It was a moment that showed how good this U.S. side can be, full of athleticism and movement – capped off with a deadly final touch.  

@FIFAWorldCupDefense wins championships

And how about at the other end? Sure, the U.S. has attacking quality in spades, and can match up player-for-player with pretty much anyone outside the absolute elite. Still, their defensive showings have been even better. There is the caveat that they have yet to face an attacking force, but the unit looks pretty good at the moment. The raw numbers are good: one goal conceded, 10 shots on target allowed across three games. 

But there's more to it than that. The U.S. have had the majority of the ball in two of their three games thus far, while captain Christopher Cupps, the six-foot-three center back, who featured for Chicago Fire II last year, has been excellent as a one-on-one defender. Sure, there will be tougher challenges to come, but thus far, the Americans have looked wonderful defensively. That will absolutely have to continue in the knockouts.

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GettyHistory makers

A word, too, for the numbers. The U17 World Cup has, historically, been a tricky stage for the Americans. Their best performance remains fourth place in 1999. They haven't made the last eight since 2017, and were bounced in the last 16 in 2023 (although they ran into an excellent Germany side). 

Still, they have made everything look remarkably easy thus far, and are the second U.S. side in history to win all three group games at the competition. The last time that happened was 1991 – before the real advent of the U.S. as a soccer power.

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

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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.

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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.

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Cássio Roberto RamosCorinthians

Eight years on from a tournament that changed everything, women’s cricket stands poised for the next big leap

Vishal Dikshit12-Aug-20250:45

Harmanpreet on her 171*: ‘A lot of things changed in women’s cricket’

Unprecedented broadcast coverage. Record-breaking global reach. A ten-fold increase in prize money. First use of the DRS. The Spidercam and drone looming over Lord’s for the first time. And an epic final that separated England and India by just nine runs.That was the 2017 Women’s World Cup. When the 50-day countdown to the 2025 edition began on Monday, the echoes of 2017 still resonated loudly for the players who will take the field from September 30, for those who have walked away in recent years, and even those who watched it on their screens around the world.For many Indian fans, any mention of the 2017 World Cup immediately brings back Harmanpreet Kaur’s jaw-dropping knock in the semi-final against Australia, and the heartbreaking loss of a trophy that came within touching distance. Fans of South Africa remember missing out narrowly on what would have been their maiden final appearance. For followers of England it was a tournament that broke new ground, and one that launched a new leader in Heather Knight. For Sri Lanka supporters it was about Chamari Athapaththu announcing herself to the world via her 178 not out, also against Australia.1:37

Rodrigues’ memories of the 2017 World Cup as a 16-year-old

While eight teams battled it out in what seemed like just another World Cup, they became, perhaps unknowingly, part of a much bigger movement, and a pioneering event. Every individual effort came to mean so much more.”That knock was really special to me and for women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet said on Monday, recalling her 171* against Australia. “After that knock a lot of things changed personally in my life, and especially in women’s cricket also, because at that time I didn’t really know what had happened because that time I was totally off social media. But when we came back to India, and even though we lost the World Cup [final], the amount of people who were waiting for us, cheering for us, I think that was something very special. Still, when I remember that innings I get goosebumps. I think that was a very special innings and I’m very happy that came from me.”The way Harmanpreet took down the world champions, and the manner in which England and India went toe to toe a thrilling finale three days later, crowned a transformative World Cup that broke several records for women’s cricket viewership in India, a country that makes up a big chunk of the overall numbers. For the tournament in all, there was a 500% increase in viewing hours in India, and as many as 126 million viewers from the country watched the final alone. The reception India’s players got back home despite losing the final was another mark of the dizzying growth of their fan following.Eight years on, women’s cricket continues to feel the echoes of Harmanpreet Kaur’s breathtaking 171* against Australia•Getty ImagesJemimah Rodrigues, who will soon feature in her first World Cup, remembers those heady days well.”So when they played the final at Lord’s, I was 16-and-a-half at that time, and I remember Mumbai Cricket Association had told all the members over there – the Under-19 girls – to go and felicitate our girls at the airport and receive them because they were expecting no one to come,” she said on Monday. “They thought the women’s team has done so well it’s our responsibility [to welcome them].”And I remember at 5.30am we were at the Mumbai airport; I was having an India flag ready to welcome our team. And I still remember that all these players were very tired and at the same time disappointed because they were so close, yet it felt like so far and they walked out of the airport thinking that nobody is going to be there. And at 5.30am the whole airport was packed with media and crowd. And people right now would think that’s normal but at that time for women’s sport it wasn’t.The 2017 World Cup: A victory for England, and an even bigger one for women’s cricket•AFP”So I remember this whole bunch of players coming in – we could see through the glass window – and, seeing so much crowd, going back inside because they were not prepared for it. And I think that was for me the turning point in women’s cricket in India.”The women’s game had spread far and wide, and into uncharted territory. Of the 156 million viewers who watched the World Cup from India, 80 million were from rural parts of the country. It undoubtedly contributed to more girls picking up bat and ball, and to the calls for a Women’s IPL growing more persistent. Eight years on, the results are as evident as they could be, with the Women’s Premier League (WPL) three years old and the ICC billing the upcoming World Cup as “the next leap” for women’s cricket.”When I see people around, especially [since] I come from Sangli, which is not the biggest [of] cities in India, but I see a lot of parents getting their daughters and they have a clear plan that ‘I want my girl to play for India or WPL,'” India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said. “The number of girls playing cricket at this moment is massive and it’s a lot to do with how the last eight years have panned out and the steps which BCCI has taken in recent times, and the WPL. All of those things together, it’s been a massive thing and we’re just fortunate that we’re part of a movement for women’s cricket which we all feel really happy and proud about.”A 16-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues (fourth from right) awaits the return of India’s players from the 2017 World Cup•ESPNcricinfo/Annesha GhoshSoon after the 2017 World Cup ended, it was clear that the tournament had not just been about that Harmanpreet knock or Sarah Taylor’s lightning stumping down the leg side or the Natmeg making its first big appearance or the viral visuals of Mithali Raj reading Rumi before going out to bat. It wasn’t just a change of direction, or a step up. It was a true transformation. A quantum leap.”The 2017 World Cup actually transformed women’s cricket not [just] in India but globally, I would say, because social media was relatively new, the ICC did their part in campaigning and promoting on a larger scale,” Mithali Raj said. “[I remember] I was packing for the World Cup and the [Men’s] Champions Trophy was being played – India vs Pakistan – and I switched on the TV, and I was listening to the commentary while packing. And I heard the commentators go, ‘The next big event is the Women’s one-day World Cup’ and they showed the captains’ hoardings at the stadium.”So quickly did things change in the women’s game that players’ bucket-list fantasies began to get ticked off, one by one. Soon after that World Cup, Mignon du Preez had said, “Imagine turning up at Wanderers or Eden Gardens to watch a women’s game sold out fully?” And within three years her wished turned into reality – perhaps with an upgrade – when an 86,174-strong crowd packed the MCG for the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup: a new attendance record for a women’s cricket event. Athapaththu, meanwhile, called for an Under-19 World Cup; that tournament got underway in 2023. The WPL isn’t just up and running; it’s already the biggest women’s league in the world.1:52

Mithali Raj: India’s confidence a big boost heading into home World Cup

The seeds for all this were also sown in the planning stages of the 2017 World Cup. That tournament saw the use of DRS for the first time in women’s cricket, even if it wasn’t available for all games. It was at the same tournament that the ICC increased the prize money tenfold, to USD 2 million, a big step aimed towards achieving parity with the men’s game. The winners, England, took home USD 660,000, more than three times the entire prize purse (USD 200,000) of the previous edition, 2013. The increased prize money was, in fact, just the icing. The cake had already been handed out to all eight participating teams by their home boards in the form of central contracts in the years leading up to the World Cup, which ensured that all the players turned out as professionals with just one aim: to take the game to the next level.Eight years later, the tournament comes to India, a country that played a major role in boosting those viewership numbers back in 2017, and the country that hosted the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup. That tournament ended with a final that drew a crowd of over 90,000. What kind of numbers will the 2025 Women’s World Cup bring with it?”The upcoming World Cup is the next springboard for the next phase of the journey for women’s cricket,” ICC’s new CEO Sanjog Gupta said on Monday. “In every sense, the growth of women’s cricket in the last eight years particularly has brought us to this moment where it’s time for women’s cricket to take the next leap. And this World Cup is the aperture or springboard for that next leap.”

Rishabh Pant, who hasn’t played any cricket or even trained since the Old Trafford Test match against England where he fractured his right foot, is headed to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to resume his training. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Pant’s foot is not in a cast anymore and he has been walking comfortably.Pant is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in Test cricket, and India’s next World Test Championship assignment is at home against West Indies in a two-Test series next month (in Ahmedabad, Oct 2-6 and in Delhi, Oct 10-14). The selection for that series is expected in the last week of September.After Pant was injured at Old Trafford, in what was the fourth Test in England, Dhruv Jurel kept wicket both in that game and at The Oval in the final game, and N Jagadeesan was flown in as back-up. In case Pant doesn’t regain full fitness in time for the Tests against West Indies, Jurel and Jagadeesan could be the frontrunners to be the wicketkeepers in the squad.Pant picked up the injury on the first day of that Old Trafford Test when he attempted a typically audacious reverse sweep off quick bowler Chris Woakes, inside-edging the ball on to his foot. He retired hurt, the fracture was confirmed not long after, and came out to bat the next day despite having arrived at the ground in the morning wearing a moonboot. He went on to add valuable runs, ending with 54 (he had retired hurt when on 37).Jurel kept wicket in both England innings in the game, and while Pant was available to bat if needed in India’s second, he wasn’t required to as Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – the last two ordinarily below Pant in the batting order – scored centuries to save the Test, which kept the series 2-1 in England’s favour. India went on to win the final Test without Pant to square the series 2-2.

Former England Lioness Jill Scott has waded into the controversy surrounding Mary Earp’s revelatory autobiography in which she makes a number of accusations about boss Sarina Wiegman and her handling of rival goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Earps revealed she felt Wiegman was "rewarding bad behaviour" by reinstating Hampton to the squad in 2023.

• Book launch creates controversy

  Hampton had been dropped after Euro 2022 over reports of being "disruptive and unreliable," and Earps said at the time that the decision had strengthened relationships behind the scenes. The situation came to a head in early 2025 when Wiegman named Hampton the new first-choice goalkeeper over Earps, a decision Earps called "bullsh*t" and led to her international retirement just before Euro 2025. 

  Hampton starred for the Lionesses during the successful run in Switzerland, saving two penalties in the final shootout with Spain, and later received the Yashin Trophy for world's best goalkeeper, presented by Earps herself. The decision to reveal details from inside the England camp has since generated backlash for Earps, with Hampton's club manager Sonia Bompastor criticising Earps' "lack of respect". 

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  Failed attempt at making amends

  After extracts from her book were published in the Guardian and subsequently widely picked up by other media outlets, Earps attempted to backtrack on her claims about Hampton's "bad behaviour" by suggesting she was misrepresented, stressing her vulnerability in the book, and privately messaging Hampton. 

  In her Instagram statement, Earps wrote: "It's gut-wrenching to be portrayed as someone you're not," and argued that "pulling out a paragraph, or a sentence here and there is not a reflection of the contents of the book". In a separate interview, she said, "I have messaged her privately to say: 'Look, no bad blood'". 

• 'It’s gone crazy'

  Scott joined the debate and told this week's Stick to Football podcast: "It’s gone crazy. Obviously, Mary's brought out a book where she's told her side of the story about Hannah Hampton being left out after the Euros, and then Sarina saying she was going to bring her back in, and since then it’s just escalated so much. But I’ve seen a lot of the girls do interviews, and I think their opinions are that if things happen in-house, they should stay in-house.

  "If you asked Hannah, she’d have a version. Sarina would have a version, and Mary would have a version. Hannah’s a fantastic keeper and I think she came in and there was pressure on her to perform when Mary wasn’t there, and there’s all this pressure on Hannah to perform as a young keeper in that Euros; she was absolutely fantastic. Sarina's left her out of a camp and come back in, will people look at that as good management? But the way it’s all going, it's just kind of blew up.

  She added: "When I’m watching Mary’s interview she’s saying, 'Please don’t look at clickbait, read the story,' because she says Hannah’s a fantastic keeper, Sarina look at what’s she’s won – she doesn’t want to question Sarina. So sometimes we can see a headline and a small snippet and think she’s coming at her."

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  Wright's worries over impact of public row

  Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright also shared his thoughts on the controversy, and is concerned for how the drama will impact both Earps and Hampton's form for their respective clubs. 

  Wright said: "The sad thing with it is, because the book is so close and she (Hannah) is still playing, and they're so close to everything still. You normally get this narrative 10, 15, 20 years after you’ve retired so it doesn’t hit so hard. But what I’d be careful of for both of them, is they’re not used to the kind of attention they’re going to get in respect to how it comes on top. The pile-on is a worry."