Liverpool captain Grace Fisk has replaced injured Arsenal defender Katie Reid in the England squad for this month's friendlies against Brazil and Australia, the FA said on Monday.

Fisk, 27, will hope to earn her senior international debut as England play their first matches since winning the Euros in July.

Along with Reid, Manchester City midfielder Grace Clinton has also withdrawn due to a small injury, the FA said in a statement.

"Both will remain with their clubs for rehabilitation," the FA added.

England will play Brazil on Saturday in Manchester, before facing Australia in Derby three days later.

Former Bafana Bafana defender Bradley Carnell saw his club Philadelphia Union finish top of the regular season standings in Major League Soccer at the weekend and is now looking ahead to the post season playoffs.

Union topped the Eastern Conference by a single point from Cincinnati but had already secured top place before their weekend loss at Charlotte and will also have a spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions League.

They won 20 of their 34 games with six draws and eight defeats.

Carnell’s side won the Supporters’ Shield for the club who were the best in the regular season, but the tricky part now lies ahead for them in the playoffs.

Union are the top seed in the postseason after claiming the Supporters' Shield for the second time in club history and will have home advantage throughout the entire playoffs.

They kick off with a Round One Best-of-3 series at home on Saturday, where they will take on the winner of Wednesday's Eastern Conference Wild Card match between Chicago Fire FC and Orlando City.

The Union's lone away match of the postseason is scheduled for Saturday, November 1.

Should a third game be needed, Union would host the match on Saturday, November 8.

 

Mark your calendars 🗓️#DOOP https://t.co/8itJ7X33e8 pic.twitter.com/ba2HLaJlZy

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) October 19, 2025

 

Carnell took over at the club before the start of the season and ensured Union finished with the best defence in MLS with just 35 goals conceded and also established a club record of eight away wins.

Carnell was coach at St. Louis City in their debut MLS season in 2023 and took them to the top of the regular season standings. But they lost at the first hurdle in the playoffs to Sporting Kansas City.

He was fired midway through their second season but has bounced back in Philadelphia, where he has also given South African defender Olwethu Makhanya a chance to shine in the side.

Manchester United claimed a major scalp with a win at Anfield on Sunday, and one of Africa’s leading stars in the Premier League was central to their success.

Here is a look at the continent’s star performers in Europe this past weekend.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Next fixture: Brighton & Hove Albion (home)

Is the tide turning for Manchester United after they won back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time under manager Ruben Amorim? And not just any victory either, but a 2-1 success at Anfield against bitter rivals Liverpool. It was a sweet moment, and they were set on their way by Mbeumo, who continued his fine form at the start of the season with a goal inside two minutes. He was worked into space on the right-hand side of the box and drilled a low shot past Alisson in the home goal. It was his second goal of the campaign to go with one assist in his eight Premier League starts.

Bryan Mbeumo slices through Liverpool's defence in 62 seconds 🤯⚽

📺 Stream #LIVMUN on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/S96paE50Uz

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 19, 2025

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (GABON & MARSEILLE)

Next fixture: Lens (away)

Mason Greenwood scored four goals as Marseille crushed Le Havre 6-2, but Gabon great Aubameyang played a part in the win too with an assist for the fifth goal by Robinio Vaz. It was his fourth goal contribution in Ligue 1 this season, having found the back of the net on three occasions and provided this assist. That comes in just three starts and three substitute appearances. He may be 36, but Aubameyang still has much to give for both club and country, with Gabon still in the mix for 2026 World Cup qualification via the play-offs.

AKOR ADAMS (NIGERIA & SEVILLA)

Next fixture: Real Sociedad (away)

Adams scored for Nigeria in their victory over Lesotho in the recent World Cup qualifiers, his first international goal, which came shortly after he had helped Sevilla to a thumping 4-1 success against Barcelona with another strike. He has now scored twice in his last three LaLiga matches, and three times in four games if you include his goal against Lesotho. He came off the bench on Saturday as Sevilla lost 3-1 at home to Mallorca but is set to play a big role for his club this campaign, and for the Super Eagles in next month’s World Cup play-offs.

ANDRÉ-FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA (CAMEROON & NAPOLI)

Next fixture: Inter Milan (home)

Anguissa has been in top form for Napoli this season as they head into a crunch Serie A clash with Inter Milan on Saturday. Defending champions Napoli are in third place after a surprise 1-0 defeat at Genoa this past weekend, one point behind AC Milan and level with Inter. Napoli have not managed a win in their last five meetings with the latter (D3 L2), but Anguissa was hugely influential the last time they did so, a 3-1 success in May 2023. He will be crucial again as they look to break their winless run against a team who will be major title rivals this time around. Anguissa has two goals and an assist in six Serie A starts this season.

The Swedish Football Association said on Monday that ex-Chelsea manager Graham Potter had been appointed national team coach after Jon Dahl Tomasson was sacked last week following three straight losses in World Cup qualifying.

Sweden terminated Tomasson's contract on October 14 after his team only managed to win a single point in the first four games of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The Swedish FA said Potter, who was sacked by Premier League club West Ham in September, would be tasked with turning around a team containing star strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres and attempt to qualify for the finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.

"The goal is to create the optimal conditions to reach the World Cup in the summer of 2026," the Swedish FA said in statement.

Graham Potter är herrlandslagets nya förbundskapten 🇸🇪

🗞️ https://t.co/Xevu92RlZG pic.twitter.com/0zHiSg2o1X

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 20, 2025

The FA said the contract with Potter covered the ongoing qualifying period, with games against Switzerland and Slovenia in November, as well as a potential playoff in March.

The contract would automatically be extended to the World Cup finals themselves if Sweden qualify.

"I am very humble facing this assignment, but also incredibly inspired. Sweden has fantastic players who deliver week after week in the world's best leagues," 50-year-old Potter was quoted saying.

Despite having £125 million ($168 million) Liverpool striker Isak and Arsenal's £73 million Gyokeres starting together up front, Sweden has failed to even score in their last three matches and sit bottom of Group B.

📩 (1) nytt meddelande från Graham Potter pic.twitter.com/jSgi08rs8Q

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 20, 2025

Potter managed Swedish team Ostersund FK between 2011 and 2018, bringing it up to Sweden's top league.

He has since managed Swansea City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea and West Ham.

He was once regarded as one of English football's brightest coaching talents but was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 after the team's form nosedived.

There then followed a difficult nine-month stay at West Ham.

Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are all scoring at better than a goal-a-game rates in a blistering start to the season from Europe's top three marksmen.

Ahead of their return to Champions League action this week, the trio are already battling at the top of the charts to be the competition's top scorer and making the early running in a World Cup campaign for next year's Ballon d'Or.

AFP Sports looks at the astonishing stats all three strikers are producing for both club and country.

ERLING HAALAND (MAN CITY AND NORWAY)

Haaland's leads the way with 23 goals in 13 games to haul City back into contention for the Premier League and Norway to the brink of their first World Cup since 1998.

Only once has Haaland failed to find the net this season and he has struck in all of his last 11 matches.

The 25-year-old scored twice against Everton on Saturday to take his Premier League tally for the campaign to 11.

Haaland now boasts the three quickest occasions any Premier League player has reached 10 goals in a season after doing so in six matches in 2022 and five games last season.

"If you are building from scratch what you want as the ideal centre-forward, look at Haaland," said the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer Alan Shearer.

"He has goals, pace, strength, is good in the air. Doesn't mind being roughed up, it doesn't bother him if he doesn't have many touches. He is almost perfect."

Previously he has been questioned in his homeland for not reproducing his prolific club form for Norway.

Those complaints have been washed away as Haaland has struck 12 times in six qualifiers to finally take a golden generation towards his first major international tournament.

HARRY KANE (BAYERN MUNICH AND ENGLAND)

Kane headed in his 22nd goal of the season to put Bayern on course for victory in Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

The England captain has three goals in as many games for his country as the Three Lions became the first European team to qualify for the World Cup with a flawless qualifying record through six matches.

Kane has racked up incredible numbers since swapping his homeland for Bayern in 2023, even if it took until his second season to end a long wait to win a trophy.

The 32-year-old has 104 goals in 107 games for the German giants, including 19 in 11 at club level this season.

Bayern already look set to defend their Bundesliga title, making a first ever Champions League crown for Kane even more of a priority.

He has scored four times in wins over Chelsea and Pafos to begin their quest for European glory and will expect more when Club Brugge visit Bavaria on Wednesday.

KYLIAN MBAPPE (REAL MADRID AND FRANCE)

Mbappe's frustrating first few months following his dream move from Paris Saint-Germain last year are now long forgotten in the Spanish capital.

The Frenchman racked up 44 goals in 59 games across all competitions last season and adapted to playing as the central striker in Carlo Ancelotti's system.

Xabi Alonso has maintained Mbappe's position and the 26-year-old has been Madrid's key player during the opening weeks of the season.

Lightning quick, slick on the ball and capable of finishing lethally from outside the area, Mbappe has 15 goals in 11 matches between LaLiga and the Champions League.

He is the Spanish top flight's leading goalscorer with 10, while netting five goals in just two Champions League appearances.

Mbappe has also netted three times for France this season in three appearances.

In only one of 14 appearances for club and country this season has Mbappe failed to find the net, and he has netted in his last 11 consecutive matches.

Mbappe has finished as his league's top scorer in each of the last seven seasons, six with PSG and then in his first year at Real Madrid.

Wydad Casablanca beat Asante Kotoko in a showdown between former African giants and Nairobi United upset Etoile Sahel in CAF Confederation Cup second round qualifiers on Sunday.

Joseph Bakasu from the Democratic Republic of Congo was the first leg match-winner on 47 minutes as Moroccan outfit Wydad won 1-0 away to Ghanaian opponents Asante Kotoko in Accra.

Kotoko were reduced to 10 men just three minutes after falling behind when Guinea-born goalkeeper Mohamed Camara was sent off.

Wydad have won five CAF titles, including the Champions League three times. Kotoko reached the final of the same competition seven times, winning twice.

Results are in from Day 3. 📋 #TotalEnergiesCAFCC pic.twitter.com/ommnfRP9G0

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 19, 2025

African debutants Nairobi won 2-0 in the Kenyan capital against two-time Confederation Cup winners Etoile from Tunisia through goals from Ovella Ochieng and John Otieno.

It was an unexpected outcome as Nairobi were a second division club last season, who qualified for Africa by shocking leading Kenyan club Gor Mahia in the FA Cup final.

Tanzanian teams have been constantly improving in continental competitions and Singida Black Stars are favoured to reach the group stage after drawing 1-1 with Burundians Flambeau Centre in Bujumbura.

Zambian Clatous Chama put Singida ahead on 60 minutes and Edison Munaba equalised just two minutes later.

The return match is on Saturday.

A rampant Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick to seal Major League Soccer's Golden Boot award on Saturday as Inter Miami roared into the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.

The Argentine superstar tallied an astonishing 29 goals from 28 matches, with Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga and Nashville's Sam Surridge tied for second best with 24 goals.

Messi claimed his first MLS Golden Boot and also staked his claim to a second straight Most Valuable Player award with a bravura performance that saw Inter rally to clinch third place in the Eastern Conference.

They'll face the same Nashville team in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs starting on 24 October.

"What can I say about Leo?" Inter coach Javier Mascherano said. "Today he was exceptional, as he usually is. Surely he will be awarded the Most Valuable Player award for what he has demonstrated.

"I'm happy for him because he has helped us win the match once again."

Nashville had seen some quality chances go begging when Messi put Miami in front in the 34th minute with a cracking goal from outside the penalty area.

Messi took a pass from Jordi Alba and made one cut before he unleashed a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Nine minutes later, Nashville's Surridge grabbed his 24th goal of the season when he headed in a pinpoint delivery from Hany Mukhtar at the near post.

Nashville seized a 2-1 lead deep in first-half injury time when Jacob Shaffelburg was there to fire home the rebound off a Mukhtar shot that hit the post.

Messi's first penalty conversion of the season pulled Inter level in the 63rd.

The referee pointed to the spot after a ball deflected by Luis Suarez hit Mukhtar on the arm.

Messi stepped up and rolled it past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.

After Baltasar Rodriguez made it 3-2 to Miami in the 67th, Messi completed his hat- trick in the 81st with a curling shot through traffic and past Willis.

Miami's Telasco Segovia completed the scoring against a shell-shocked Nashville in second-half injury time.

GREAT LEVEL

"In the first half, it was very tough for us, we lacked intensity," Mascherano said.

"We defended very deep, and with the ball, we didn't have many ideas either.

"The second half was different. We played in the opponent's half, took more risks, and finished at a great level."

There was plenty up for grabs in the final Western Conference games of the season.

Expansion club San Diego FC pipped Thomas Mueller's Vancouver Whitecaps for top seed in the West as their 4-0 victory over the Portland Timbers coupled with Vancouver's 2-1 loss to Dallas left them tied on 63 points.

Amahl Pellegrino and Anders Dreyer scored two goals apiece for San Diego, who topped the conference on a tiebreaker to complete the best regular season for a debut franchise in MLS history.

Dallas, who were among four teams chasing the last two Western Conference playoff berths, had goals from Osaze Urhoghide and Kaick in their victory in Vancouver.

Mueller scored a penalty but the Whitecaps played most of the match with 10 men after Mathias Laborda was sent off in the 11th minute.

Dallas and Vancouver will meet again in the first round of the playoffs.

Real Salt Lake also qualified for the playoffs with a 2-2 draw at St. Louis coupled with Colorado's 2-2 draw with Los Angeles FC.

Star striker Mahmoud Mayele scored the only goal of the game as Pyramids of Egypt beat Renaissance Berkane of Morocco 1-0 in the CAF Super Cup match on Saturday in Cairo.

The 31-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo struck on 75 minutes in the annual clash between the holders of the CAF Champions League and the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

The goal came after Imad Riahi was dispossessed by Mohamed Chibi as he tried to take the ball into the Pyramids half at the 30 June Stadium in the Egyptian capital.

Moroccan Chibi pushed the ball into the Berkane area and Mayele fired a low shot across goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi and into the net off the far post.

1st appearance 🟰 1st silverware. 🏅

Pyramids FC are your 2025 #TotalEnergiesCAFSC champions. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mStcvFFDfr

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 18, 2025

Mayele, who joined Pyramids in 2023 from Tanzanian club Young Africans, changed his first name from Fiston to Mahmoud after converting to Islam last month.

He was a key figure when Pyramids lifted the Champions League at only the second attempt last season, finishing as leading scorer with nine goals in the premier African club competition.

Pyramids, whose victory was worth $500 000, are the third Egyptian club to win the Super Cup after Al Ahly (eight titles) and Zamalek (five).

Berkane were victorious in a previous Super Cup appearance three seasons ago.

A man who says I'm King IS indeed the true King. 😏👑 #TotalEnegiesCAFSC pic.twitter.com/o2O39vcQJP

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 18, 2025

Malaysia's football federation suspended its secretary-general Friday and said it would establish an independent committee to probe an ongoing eligibility scandal involving seven foreign-born players.

Earlier this week, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) appealed against a Fifa decision to ban the seven players after the world body accused it of submitting doctored or false documents claiming the players had Malaysian ancestry.

Fifa said an investigation showed none of the players – who helped Malaysia to a 4-0 drubbing of Vietnam in June in an Asian Cup qualifier – had a parent or grandparent born in the Southeast Asian nation.

The FAM denies any deliberate wrongdoing.

"We are going to form an independent committee to look into what exactly has taken place, in order for us to be in a better position to give an answer to all this," said FAM deputy president S. Sivasundaram.

FAM secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman "is suspended effective today to allow the committee to carry out its duties", he told reporters at a press conference.

Apart from banning the seven – Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Brandao Figueredo – Fifa fined the Malaysian association $440 000.

 

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on Friday held a press conference at 3 p.m. local time to address the ongoing scandal involving the alleged falsification of citizenship documents for seven naturalized players representing the national team.

Yet, the… pic.twitter.com/S6OtOzmDMF

— The Wall Pass Journal (@wallpassjournal) October 17, 2025

 

The matter is now with Fifa's appeals committee for a final decision.

Nepal, meanwhile, on Thursday appealed to Fifa to have the result of its 2-0 defeat against Malaysia in March to be overturned.

One of the seven, Hector Hevel, scored Malaysia's opening goal in the match played in Johor, Malaysia.

Nepal is currently at the bottom of Asian Cup qualifying Group F with no points from four games.

Malaysia is top with 12 points, Vietnam is second with nine points, while Laos is third with three points.

Spain coach Sonia Bermudez began her tenure by recalling Jenni Hermoso and Mapi Leon in a 23-player squad on Friday for the Nations League semifinal against Sweden.

Hermoso, 35, Spain’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals, returns after a year’s absence, while defender Leon, who has not featured since Euro 2022, is also back in favour.

Both players were left out by former coach Montse Tome, who stepped down in August following Spain’s defeat by England in the final of Euro 2025.

Bermudez, previously in charge of the Under-23 women’s team, has taken over the senior squad with the immediate task of leading them in the Nations League semifinals.

Spain face Sweden in a two-legged tie, with the first match at La Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga on October 24 and the return leg at Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg four days later.

Germany play France in the other semi on the same dates.

Hermoso’s return marks a significant moment for the forward, who was central to Spain’s World Cup triumph in 2023 and also at the heart of the controversy involving former Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales.

Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent during the World Cup celebrations in Sydney.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and adidas are proud to announce a landmark three-year partnership that will see the global sports brand become the official technical sponsor of South Africa’s national football teams.

This partnership marks a powerful homecoming for adidas, reigniting the spirit of unity and pride that captured the world during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Fifteen years later, that same sense of belief and belonging returns - as South Africa once again stands ready to make its mark on the global stage.

With Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, and Banyana Banyana’s continued rise in women’s football, adidas and SAFA are uniting to celebrate a new generation of South African excellence. Together, they’ll carry forward the message that has become adidas’ rallying call: “You Got This.”

“This partnership is more than a sponsorship - it’s a return to shared values of pride, resilience, and performance. adidas has long been part of our football story, and together we’ll inspire South Africans everywhere to believe that they’ve got what it takes. This return also marks the strengthening of our standing among the global football nations community as we compete at FIFA and CAF tournaments regularly and being supported by a brand that invests in innovation, performance and style to meet the needs of a modern sports organisation like us.” – Ms Lydia Monyepao, Chief Executive Officer, SAFA

Sam Handy, VP of Product and Design, adidas Football - “Football has the power to change lives while uniting and inspiring. adidas has a proud and rich football heritage, pioneering products for the best teams and athletes around the world. We’re proud to again stand alongside Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana and other SAFA teams as they represent the spirit of South Africa on the international stage.”

Fans and players can look forward to the iconic Three Stripes gracing the kits for all South Africa football teams as of 24 March 2026, with an offer that will cover match wear, training and pre-match apparel, travel ranges and a comprehensive fan collection.

Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo once again topped the Forbes highest-paid footballers list for the 2025-26 season, as one of three members of the top 10 plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

It is the sixth time in the last decade that Ronaldo has topped the Forbes list and comes just over a week after Bloomberg announced that the 40-year-old had become football's first billionaire.

With on- and off-field earnings of an estimated $280 million, Al Nassr's Ronaldo will earn more than double that of second-placed rival Lionel Messi, whose $130 million estimate is made up of more off-field earnings than those from playing for his US club Inter Miami.

Next up is French former Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, who earns $104 million a year thanks to his huge contract at Saudis Al Ittihad.

The third member of the top 10 playing in Saudi Arabia is Senegalese forward Sadio Mane, a teammate of Ronaldo's who earns an estimated $54 million in eighth.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the world’s highest-paid soccer players, collectively earning $945 million this season. But as the sun sets on his legendary career, two young stars are stepping into the spotlight.#Forbes

For More Details: https://t.co/gq6ThDYod7 pic.twitter.com/HWxXH8IVN3

— Forbes Middle East (@Forbes_MENA_) October 16, 2025

The number of players from Saudi clubs in the top 10 compared to a year ago has dropped by one as Brazil's Neymar left Al Hilal in January to return to his boyhood club, Santos in Sao Paulo.

He had been third on the list with $110 million in 2024-25 but now apparently earns a paltry $38 million, mostly from off-field contracts.

Despite the power and wealth of the English Premier League – whose clubs spent a record £2.6 billion ($3.5 billion) on transfers in the summer window – only two players from that competition make the top 10 with Manchester City's Erling Haaland fifth and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah seventh.

But it is Spain's LaLiga that has the most representatives in the top 10, including three Real Madrid players in Kylian Mbappe (fourth), Vinicius Jr (sixth) and Jude Bellingham (ninth).

While the fourth player from Spain is Barcelona's teenage starlet Lamine Yamal, who is 10th with $43 million.

"Combined, the world's ten highest-paid soccer players are set to earn an estimated $945 million during the 2025-26 campaign," Forbes said in a statement.

HONOR South Africa has hailed Bafana Bafana as national heroes who embody the best of South Africa's  national character and have showed determination in the face of every obstacle.

Their release reads as follows:

The roar of the nation is deafening! HONOR South Africa proudly stands alongside every South African in celebrating Bafana Bafana's triumphant qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is not just a qualification; it is a momentous return to the world's biggest stage, igniting a wave of national pride and exhilaration across the country.

Following a brilliant and determined qualification campaign, South Africa has secured its place among the global elite, reminding the world of the power and passion of our football.

As a dedicated partner to South African excellence, HONOR South Africa extends its deepest respect and heartfelt congratulations to Bafana Bafana, the visionary coaching staff, and the millions of dedicated fans. Your belief and passion have fuelled this remarkable, historic campaign.

“This is a truly special and defining moment for South Africa,” said Fred Zhou, CEO of HONOR South Africa.

 “Bafana Bafana have embodied the very best of our national character, playing with unmatched heart, unwavering unity, and fearless determination. They overcame every obstacle placed in their path, making this hard-fought achievement even sweeter.

"On behalf of everyone at HONOR, we salute the team on this incredible achievement. We are honoured to stand with our heroes as they prepare to conquer the global stage.”

Throughout their journey, Bafana Bafana were a masterclass in resilience and teamwork. They navigated a gruelling and nail-biting campaign, demonstrating the steely resolve needed to succeed under immense pressure. 

This ability to persevere, to maintain focus and belief when the stakes were highest, perfectly aligns with HONOR’s core brand values of courage, innovation, and excellence. The team’s exceptional performance has not just secured a qualification; it has reignited the soul of South African football.

Breaking the stranglehold on Scottish football held by Celtic and Rangers has proved impossible for 40 years, but fan-owned Hearts are daring to dream thanks to the expertise of Brighton owner Tony Bloom.

Bloom, who made his fortune as a professional gambler, has pioneered the use of data analytics to improve efficiency in player recruitment.

That has propelled his boyhood club into the Premier League and taken Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) from the Belgian second tier to the Champions League.

The Englishman invested £10 million ($13 million) in June for a 29 per cent stake in Hearts, with the Foundation of Hearts – a supporter-backed organisation – retaining overall control of the Edinburgh club.

The new era is off to a flying start, with instant results on the pitch sparking excitement at the possibility of a title challenge.

Hearts are top of the Scottish Premiership after seven games, two points clear of Celtic and 11 ahead of beleaguered Rangers.

The rewards from using Bloom's Jamestown Analytics firm are already bearing fruit. Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis, recruited from the obscurity of the Norwegian second tier and Slovakian league respectively, have shone in an unbeaten start to the season.

"The single most impactful part of this whole package of Bloom involvement is the facilitation of that relationship with Jamestown," Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon told AFP.

Under Bloom's tenure, Brighton have risen from English football's third tier to the Premier League and have become one of Europe's best breeding grounds for developing young talent, selling on players for huge profits.

The same model delivered USG's first Belgian title for 90 years last season.

"I think Union represent the best role model for us in terms of taking our club to the top of its nation and into the Champions League and breaking down some very significant barriers of very large clubs that have dominated in that country, really against the odds," said Mallon.

"The other thing which Tony has brought, which probably can't be underestimated, is the self-belief and confidence among the team, among supporters, and among the leadership."

The last of Hearts's four titles came back in 1960, while Aberdeen's triumph under Alex Ferguson in 1985 was the last time the duopoly of the Glasgow giants was broken.

In recent decades the Jambos have had to fight for their very survival.

'A GAME CHANGER'

The Foundation of Hearts was created in 2010, but the route to fan ownership began when the club entered administration three years later.

Edinburgh-born entrepreneur Ann Budge acquired a majority stake and put in place a plan for donations to the Foundation to be used over time to take control of the club.

That process was completed in 2021, with the Foundation taking a 75 per cent stake.

Around £1.5 million is raised annually from regular contributions by 8 500 fans.

Up against the financial might of Celtic, who posted a turnover of £144 million last season and have cash reserves of £77 million, Hearts appear like David trying to slay Goliath.

However, backed by Bloom's know-how, the club believe they can outsmart Celtic and Rangers, especially during troubled times for both the Glasgow clubs.

Rangers sacked manager Russell Martin earlier this month after just 123 days in charge – he won just one of his seven league games during his short tenure.

There is conflict at champions Celtic, with fans taking the board to task over a lack of investment in the transfer market.

"I think what this will have shown is that fan ownership with the right ability to be able to invest smartly isn't a limiting factor," said Mallon.

"We do believe that we've got a game-changer in terms of our relationship with Jamestown and we believe that what that will contribute to us will be similar to what Brighton have been able to do as well.

"Increased player-trading profit, which can be reinvested. More European success will give us a greater revenue stream and I think we've got the tools to be really smart with our investments.

"I think Tony coming on board allows us to break that glass ceiling."

English champions Chelsea thrashed Paris FC 4-0 in the second match day of the women's Champions League on Wednesday.

Sandy Baltimore, from the penalty spot, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Alyssa Thompson and Erin Cuthbert were all on target for the London side.

Two-time women's Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas hit a 71st-minute penalty to help Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over Roma.

Esmee Brugts opened the scoring in the second minute, with Kika Nazareth extending the lead before Putellas got her name on the scoreboard before Caroline Graham Hansen's coup de grace on the whistle.

Record eight-time champions Lyon notched up a 3-0 victory over St Polten of Austria.

Germany's Jule Brand and Lily Yohannes both scored maiden goals for the French side.

Those goals came either side of one from Norway's Ada Hegerberg, the all-time UEFA club competition top scorer who now has 67 goals in 77 appearances and in 12 different seasons in the UEFA women's Champions League.

And two-time championship winners Wolfsburg claimed a 2-1 victory over Norwegian side Valerenga.

The Germans took the lead through Lineth Beerensteyn, quickly nullified by Sara Horte. Janina Minge kept her cool with a penalty in the eighth minute of extra-time to seal victory on the road.

The final game of the evening saw a Linde Veefkind penalty in the 83rd minute seemingly salvage Belgian team Leuven a 1-1 draw with Dutch outfit Twente, for whom Jaimy Ravensbergen scored.

But there was similar late drama as midfielder Sara Pusztai struck six minutes into injury time to hand Leuven a 2-1 win.

For the first time this season, the women's Champions League has 18 participating teams, playing six games each against different opponents in a league phase.

Only the top four qualify directly for the quarterfinals, with sides ranked fifth to 12th involved in a play-off to join them in the last eight.

England defender Millie Bright announced her retirement from international football on Monday.

Bright won 88 caps for England after making her debut in 2016 and played a key role in their Women's European Championship triumph in 2022.

She also captained England to a World Cup final defeat against Spain the following year.

The 32-year-old revealed her decision to retire from the international stage on her podcast "Daly Brightness", which she co-hosts with former England teammate Rachel Daly.

"The reality of the last decade wearing the Three Lions has surpassed even my wildest dreams," the Chelsea defender said.

"It's been beyond special for me and I wish it could last forever. However, in football all good things must come to an end and with that, I have decided to retire from international football."

Bright opted out of England's successful European Championship title defence in July because she was unable to "give 100 per cent mentally or physically".

The Chelsea captain had knee surgery and started counselling sessions in the close-season after saying the decision to withdraw from Sarina Wiegman's squad was "by far the best decision I have ever made".

Zinedine Zidane confirmed on Sunday he would one day like to coach the France national team, but did not say if he was hoping to take over from outgoing boss Didier Deschamps.

Zidane, who scored twice in France's 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil, led Real Madrid to three Champions League titles in his only previous senior head coaching role.

"I'm sure I'll get back into coaching," Zidane said at an event organised by Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm not saying it's going to happen now, what I want one day is to coach the national team."

The 53-year-old is the favourite to take over from Deschamps when the 2018 World Cup-winning coach steps down after next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"The most important thing is to have a passion for football and to want to pass on something to your players, what you have in you, deep within you," added Zidane, whose second spell in charge of Real Madrid ended in 2021.

"A coach has an important role in the success of his team. In my opinion, his energy and desire are 80 per cent of whether things go well."

Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has ruled himself out of contention to return for a second stint as manager of struggling Rangers, reports said on Saturday.

The 45-year-old had been seen as the front-runner to replace the sacked Russell Martin at the Scottish Premiership club.

But it is understood that after holding constructive discussions, the ex-England midfielder felt the timing was not right for a return to Ibrox.

Martin was sacked last weekend after just four months in charge, with the team having won just one of their opening seven Premiership matches.

Gerrard was previously in charge at Rangers between 2018 and 2021, winning the Scottish title in the 2020-21 season before leaving to take charge at Aston Villa.

He left his role in charge of the Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq in January.

Other names to have been touted as potential successors to Martin at Ibrox include Hearts boss Derek McInnes, former Rangers player Kevin Muscat and ex-Everton boss Sean Dyche.

Sudan Football Association vice president Yasser Nasreddin Hamza Al-Samani has been banned from their next 15 competitive matches for assaulting a match official at a World Cup qualifier last month, world football's governing body Fifa said.

The incident came after Sudan had lost 1-0 in Lome to Togo, effectively ending their 2026 World Cup hopes.

Sudan's assistant coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu, who is from Ghana, was also handed a three-match ban for what Fifa said was "unsporting behaviour towards a match official". The referees for the game on September 9 came from Madagascar.

Both men were also fined CHF5 000 ($6 214).

England will be without captain Harry Kane in Thursday's friendly against Wales as manager Thomas Tuchel looks to build on a 5-0 win in Serbia that kick-started his time in charge of the Three Lions.

Kane will be missed at Wembley after scoring 18 times in 10 appearances for club and country so far this season.

Tuchel, though, is confident the Bayern Munich striker will be fit to face Latvia in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

"Harry will miss the game. He got a kick in his last game with Bayern Munich, and it was too risky that he gets another kick and will be in an up-and-down situation pain-wise," said Tuchel at his pre-match press conference.

"I think we are convinced he will be ready for the match against Latvia."

The German controversially left out the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his latest squad to reward those who were available for selection last month.

Before running riot in Belgrade, Tuchel's start to life as England manager had been littered with unconvincing victories against minnows in World Cup qualifying and a 3-1 friendly defeat at home to Senegal.

"The level we can play. We want to keep our thing going," added Tuchel.

"The decisions are for the players in camp, they are not against the players. I know there is always an angle, we just have to make a choice.

"It's a good thing we have tough choices to make because we have a huge pool of players, and we decided with this camp to stick with the team that had a brilliant camp last time.

"Now we cannot start with the same starting 11 as against Serbia, so it's natural we have changes. The competition is on. I'm not surprised I'm questioned about my decisions, that's the nature of the job."

Wales boss Craig Bellamy labelled England's strength in depth "ridiculous" but is determined his side are more than just tourists on Thursday.

"It's difficult circumstances at an incredible place like Wembley, but to us it is excitement," said Bellamy.

"We're not here as tourists, to enjoy the occasion. We're here to be the best version of ourselves, and that allows you to be excited and also to have fun as well."