⚡ Berita Bola

Mourinho prints out 'red card' incidents after Real lose derby

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho prints out screenshots displaying two incidents he believes should have resulted in Atletico Madrid dismissals.

Brentford blitz Chelsea as Fábio Carvalho caps stunning second-half display

Those early-season thoughts that Chelsea might be the team best-placed to challenge Arsenal are beginning to look extremely over-optimistic. The two chaotic wins with which they began were always difficult to read: they might have been useful points picked up on the way to a more solid structure, or they might have represented evidence of significant problems. After three games without a win, and 12 goals conceded in five games this season, it’s beginning to look like the latter. At the final whistle, Keith Andrews tipped his head back and roared at the sky, celebrating Brentford’s first home win over Chelsea since 1938. They remain unbeaten, coherent and disciplined, and moved up to third in the table. The comparison is impossible not to draw: as one side flail in an orgy of structured spending, their far less wealthy neighbours thrive with a clear plan and sense of direction. “It was a performance I felt was bubbling,” said Andrews. “I could see it in the players’ eyes over the last two days. They were very focused, very determined.” Continue reading...

‘Embrace the chaos’: Tuchel aims to harness England’s football culture

Head coach says he must accept lack of control in games ‘Deep down, English players … they go for it’ Thomas Tuchel has admitted there are times when he craves greater control in matches. But the England head coach feels the more chaotic, adrenaline-fuelled nature of the Premier League will remain his template as he targets glory at Euro 2028. Tuchel described his team as “maybe not the most economical to play football” in terms of their habit of constantly playing at full throttle. They lost to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in July when they had nothing left in the tank and watched the game slip away after going 1-0 up in the 55th minute. England barely touched the ball thereafter, had no control and were reeled in, Argentina winning with two late goals. Continue reading...

Tuchel should listen to ‘the 0.1%’ and learn from England’s World Cup mistakes | Jacob Steinberg

Head coach is keen to focus on positives but Nations League squad hints at desire for greater tactical options Thomas Tuchel should be listening to the 0.1%. As he unveiled his first England squad since the World Cup, he said 99.9% of supporters he bumped into did not talk about his substitutions during the Argentina game. According to him, the conversation is far more positive. Memories are shared of the knockout wins over Mexico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It seems those who want to take the England head coach to task over the retreat in the semi-final in Atlanta are in the minority. This is, of course, hard to quantify. Is it really 99.9%? We can take Tuchel at face value, but relying on anecdotal evidence goes two ways. A lot of fans are not ready to move on yet. The national mood is far more downbeat than Tuchel imagines and he is kidding himself if he thinks people have forgiven the way England folded after going 1-0 up against Argentina early in the second half. Continue reading...

Palmer and Alexander-Arnold recalled to England squad

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer have been recalled to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel for the upcoming Nations League games.

'Embrace the chaos' - What we learnt from Tuchel's England picks

Tuchel recalls Alexander-Arnold and Palmer with warning

England boss Thomas Tuchel recalls Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer but says players have to "perform".

Tuchel considers England recall for Cole Palmer in Nations League squad

Chelsea forward back in form after World Cup snub Alex Scott and Morgan Gibbs-White also in contention Thomas Tuchel is considering an England recall for Cole Palmer and could include Alex Scott in his squad for the Nations League. Tuchel’s first selection since the World Cup will be confirmed on Friday morning and the head coach has been weighing up claims from a host of players who failed to earn a place in his plans last summer. Palmer was one of those to miss out after struggling for form and fitness but the Chelsea attacker has started the season with four goals and two assists , raising optimism around his hopes of inclusion. Continue reading...

Eating grass, meditation and more – What Tuchel said in viral documentary

Thomas Tuchel wishes he'd eaten grass from the Azteca pitch after England's World Cup win over Mexico this summer.

Ballon d’Or shortlist shows up Premier League’s attacking failings – but tide could be turning

English top flight’s forwards are not well represented on the list, reflecting a season of set-piece grapple, but 2026-27 already looks brighter Premier League representation is low when it comes to the 16 attacking players on this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist . Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland are there but Cole Palmer, one of the nominees in 2025, is out after an injury-hit year and English football’s shift towards physicality and set pieces last season is summed up by none of the forwards from the best team in the country making the cut. The trio giving Arsenal a presence – Gabriel Maghalhães, Declan Rice and William Saliba – are all defensive minded. Arsenal won the league but their forwards are not regarded as elite. Injuries played a part, denying Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka fluency, but Mikel Arteta’s side were not loved by neutrals. There was respect rather than admiration for their defensive rigour. There was an argument that a lack of ambition after going 1-0 up stopped Arsenal from beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Continue reading...

Kobbie Mainoo moves from outsider to main man after summer of hurt

England reached World Cup semis yet midfielder did not play a minute. But he is key to Manchester United in derby It was a sight the England press pack became increasingly used to seeing after the team’s World Cup matches over the summer. Kobbie Mainoo was invariably the first to leave the dressing room, walk through the mixed zone – eyes dead ahead, features impassive – and board the bus. It was as if he could not get out of the stadiums quick enough and the further England progressed the more pronounced it started to feel. There was a real gap between Mainoo and the next England player to depart the stadium in the knockout rounds . The Manchester United midfielder is inscrutable, even in the heat of battle. It is part of his enviably unflappable temperament. It was no great leap to imagine what lay behind the mask – tremendous frustration as Thomas Tuchel kept on leaving him out. Continue reading...

⭐ Everyone who is nominated for 2026 Ballon d'Or

The 2026 Ballon d'Or short lists are out. Here's who could win the biggest individual prizes in men's and women's soccer.

Men’s Ballon d’Or 2026 power rankings: will there be an English winner for the first time in 25 years?

We assess the standing of the players on the shortlist for the award before the winner is announced in October 1) Harry Kane (England/Bayern Munich) Even adjusting for the goal-drunken Bundesliga, his 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern last season undersells his all-around impact, considering his playmaking and hold-up skills. Kane was gameplanned out of England’s later games at the World Cup, but he was unstoppable through the last 16 to close out the finest year of his career to date. If not now, when? Continue reading...

Champions League Power Rankings before MD1: Who's No. 1?

It's time for the UEFA Champions League! Before each matchday, our panel of experts and voters will rank the top 10 teams in the field to give you a sense of the contenders and pretenders. Where does your club rank?

Harry Kane and Alessia Russo among nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or

Bellingham, Rice and Alex Greenwood also nominated Ceremony to move from Paris to London for 2026 awards Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice have been nominated for this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or with Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood nominated for the women’s award. The 30 men’s and 30 women’s nominees were revealed by France Football magazine on Tuesday, with the winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October. Ousmane Dembélé, who won the men’s award last year, has been nominated again, as has his France teammate Kylian Mbappé , who made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for all-time World Cup goals (22) at this summer’s tournament. Continue reading...

Favourite Kane makes Ballon d'Or shortlist

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is one of three England players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.

Can Kane buck history and win Ballon d'Or?

History suggests Ballon d’Or winners come from those who have recently lifted one of football's biggest trophies. Can Harry Kane become a rare exception?

Barcelona breeze past Rayo but all eyes in Spain remain on Julián Álvarez

Hansi Flick is very happy to welcome Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona – but Julián Álvarez remains the ultimate prize If Raphinha has any misgivings about playing as a makeshift No 9 for Barcelona, he is doing a good job of hiding it. Julián Álvarez would have been proud of the Brazilian’s two neat finishes that inspired the Spanish champions to a 5-2 victory against Rayo Vallecano on Monday night, 24 hours before the transfer deadline. Lamine Yamal scored two wonderful goals of his own in a performance that reassured everyone he is back to his best. Add Anthony Gordon to the mix – impressive again in his link-up play – and you have a fluid, fearsome front three. Yet after the departures of Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford this summer, there is no doubt Barcelona not only still want a centre-forward but require one – at least one. Hansi Flick was very happy to see Gabriel Jesus, an £8.6m arrival from Arsenal, in the stands. “He’s a top striker,” the coach said. But Atlético Madrid’s Álvarez is the ultimate prize. Continue reading...