Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: July 27, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Coaching Carousel and International Football

Andrea Pirlo has withdrawn his candidacy for the Italy coaching position due to controversy surrounding his sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm, stating he is no longer a contender for the role. Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's coach, has publicly defended his players, referring to them as "warriors" following their World Cup final loss to Spain. Meanwhile, the trend of high-profile managers taking international jobs is seen as a potential path to redemption or a less intense career phase, with names like Klopp and Zidane being mentioned. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has urged critics of the World Cup to "meditate, pray or watch a football match" rather than "spreading hate and false rumours".

Club Signings and Transfer Speculation

Real Madrid is reportedly close to finalizing a €135 million deal for RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande. Speculation continues to swirl around Vinicius Jr.'s future, with Arsenal reportedly exploring a potential transfer and Real Madrid holding further contract talks. Paris Saint-Germain is also expected to initiate discussions with Liverpool regarding a transfer for Bradley Barcola, with PSG valuing the winger at £145 million. In other transfer news, Celtic has agreed to a club-record fee of £11 million plus add-ons for striker Kasper Hogh from Bodo/Glimt, while Daizen Maeda has completed a £10 million move to Ipswich Town.

Premier League and Domestic Action

Leicester City manager Russell Martin has emphasized the need for his team to forge their own identity, stating that history should not be the sole measure of his success with the club. Tottenham's record spending this summer is seen by Micky van de Ven as a clear indication of a "new ambition" following an "unacceptable" past season. Crystal Palace is reportedly interested in signing 19-year-old Brest centre-back Raphael le Guen. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has expressed his plan to integrate club-record £117 million signing Morgan Rogers alongside Cole Palmer.

International and League Updates

Argentina's Nicolás Otamendi has announced his retirement from international duty at the age of, following the World Cup. Senegal's appeal against the decision to strip them of their Africa Cup of Nations title is scheduled to be heard on October 8. Liga MX Femenil has undergone a rebrand to Liga Femenil BBVA and has also implemented changes to its regular season format. Former Netherlands international Mark van Bommel has been appointed as the new head coach of Belgium's national team.

Player Performances and Milestones

Kazuyoshi Miura, the world's oldest professional footballer, has scored his first goal in nearly four years at the age of 59 for Japanese third-tier side Fukushima United. In darts, Luke Littler has reiterated his ambition to become the "greatest darts player ever" after defending his World Matchplay title, with his performance drawing further comparisons to Phil Taylor. Tyson Fury secured a seventh-round TKO victory over Mariusz Wach in Thailand, moving closer to a potential bout with Anthony Joshua.

Other Sporting News

The AIG Women's Open is set to be the climax of the women's major season, with extended coverage exclusively live on Sky Sports. In golf, Jackson Koivun secured his first PGA Tour title in just his third professional start, winning the 3M Open by three strokes. England women have intensified their Rugby League World Cup preparations with a dominant victory over France in Toulouse. In cricket, the Sunrisers edged out the Brave thanks to a dazzling performance from Ravindra, while Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence also contributed significantly.