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Bruno Fernandes scored a wonderful goal to give Manchester United a 2-0 lead in their crucial Champions League match against Galatasaray.

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Fernandes scored amazing goal for UnitedGave visitors 2-0 lead against GalatasarayEnglish team need three points from matchWHAT HAPPENED?

United got off to an awesome start in Istanbul as Fernandes teed up Alejandro Garnacho for the opening goal just 11 minutes into the match. Fernandes doubled the visitors lead seven minutes later, sending the ball sailing into the top corner from distance.

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The United captain's strike gives United an important early lead in the Champions League clash. United are in need of three points to keep their dream of staying in the competition alive. The Red Devils were on three points at the bottom of the group, with Galatasaray and Copenhagen sitting a point ahead of them.

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United will try to hold onto their advantage and overtake Galatasaray in the table. A win would give them six points from five matches ahead of their final game of the group stage against Bayern Munich, who are top with four wins from four.

This could be it for several Mexico national team players.

Juan Carlos Osorio has called in 26 players to be part of his squad to face Iceland and Croatia in March friendly matches, but the Mexico manager says he already knows who will be on his list to go to the World Cup. We've seen over the past few years, though, that Osorio is now willing to have his mind changed. The players not currently on the list still could change his mind, while some of the players who may be set for the trip to Russia could need to shore up their spot.

Starting from most necessary to least, we've taken a look at the players who have to impress the Colombian coach and his staff this month to have any chance of fulfilling the dream of representing their country at the sport's biggest stage. 

GettyOmar GoveaJuan Carlos Osorio recently visited the 22-year-old in Belgium, where the midfielder plays for Royal Excel Mouscron. The San Luis Potosi native clearly is on the radar, but he's played just 16 minutes with El Tri. He needs to add to that total this month to have a chance at the final squad.AdvertisementAdam HungerJorge Hernandez"Burrito" played the second half of El Tri's game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in January, following up on a decent showing in the Gold Cup. After not being called in for a World Cup qualifier in his career, though, it's tough to imagine the 28-year-old will be at the World Cup finals without doing something extraordinary in the final tune-ups.Getty ImagesJonathan GonzalezThe 18-year-old midfielder has only suited up for Mexico once, but Osorio and his staff like what they've seen from Gonzalez. He still needs to work for his place on the roster, which the Mexican federation has taken great pains to note was not guaranteed in exchange for the California-born midfielder's decision to file a one-time switch after representing the U.S. at the youth level. Gonzalez is a talented player, but does he do enough to merit a spot in Russia? He'll have to prove it.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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USA Today SportsEdson AlvarezThe 20-year-old defender only recently was back in the Club America starting lineup thanks to a mix of injury and suspension. His struggle for club minutes is a concern, but his versatility may outweigh those issues. Across an already thin back line, Alvarez's ability to come in as a right back, a center back or even play in the midfield is attractive to Osorio. Solid cameos in March may lock up a spot, though a poor performance could raise doubts.

The Gunners midfielder is expected to play his final game for the club against Wolves on Sunday after a rollercoaster career at the Emirates Stadium

Granit Xhaka’s time at Arsenal looks set to be coming to an end. The midfielder is pushing for a return to Germany and the north London club are in advanced talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal of around £13 million ($16m). Should the transfer be finalised, it will bring to an end a rollercoaster seven years for the Switzerland international at Arsenal.

It wasn’t long ago that most Gunners fans would have gladly driven Xhaka to Germany themselves just to get him out of the club, but now he is expected to receive a standing ovation from 60,000 at the Emirates Stadium in what will most likely be his final game for the club on Sunday against Wolves.

Ahead of what looks set to be an emotional day for Xhaka, GOAL takes a look back at the highs and lows of his dramatic time with the Gunners…

Getty ImagesXhaka signs

Arsenal signed Xhaka from Borussia Mönchengladbach in May 2016. "Granit is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience,” Arsene Wenger said. "We have been watching him for a long time now and he is a player who will add quality to our squad.”

Arsenal fans had been calling for a defensive midfielder to be signed for some time, so the capture of the 23-year-old was met with a lot of excitement.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe slow start

Xhaka’s start to life at Arsenal was not an easy one. Given the Gunners had spent £35m to bring him in from Germany, most expected he would go straight into the side, but that was not the case. In fact, Xhaka started just six league games before December during his debut season in England, much to his frustration.

“It’s not about his quality at the moment as he adapts to the pace of the English game,” Wenger said. “For me, it’s about pairs who work together. [Francis] Coquelin and [Santi] Cazorla have worked well together. He will play games and every week he is stronger and better. He will have a huge impact as a player.”

Getty ImagesHis first goal

Xhaka’s first goal for Arsenal came in a 4-1 win at Hull City in September 2016. Having come on as a second-half substitute, the midfielder let fly with one of those trademark  powerful left-footed strikes from distance which flew into the top corner in the final minute. It was a fabulous goal.

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Getty ImagesRed cards & Wenger criticism 

Xhaka arrived with the reputation as somewhat of a hot head and he didn’t take long to live up to that billing. He was sent off twice within his first six months as an Arsenal player, and after his second dismissal, in a game against Burnley, Wenger surprised everyone by basically admitting that the defensive midfielder he had spent so much money on couldn't tackle properly.

“He’s not naturally a great tackler,” said the Arsenal boss. “In his decision making, he is quite intelligent on the pitch. But it’s more the way he tackles that is not really convincing. He doesn’t master well the technique. I would encourage him not to tackle, to stay on his feet.”

United are taking a close look at American football stadia during their tour of the U.S. as the club considers renovations to the Theatre of Dreams

Manchester United's pre-season tour of the United States is in full swing and Erik ten Hag's side got off to a flying start with an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal at a sold-out MetLife Stadium in front of 85,000 fans, a record crowd for a football match in the state of New Jersey.

But while Ten Hag is fine tuning his squad in preparation for the looming Premier League campaign, senior United figures are also making the most of the experience. According to the , the club are analysing the stadiums they are playing in during the tour and looking for inspiration as they consider upgrading the historic, but outdated, Old Trafford.

United have appointed the architects who designed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to come up with plans for their home ground, with Spurs' shiny and impressive ground, which opened in 2019, having been modelled on U.S. stadia and now hosts NFL matches annually.

As United gear up to play Real Madrid at the NRG Stadium in Houston before finishing their tour against Borussia Dortmund at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, GOAL takes a closer look at the arenas they have been playing in and the design features they could potentially mimic when they eventually renovate Old Trafford…

GettyMoveable turf

The Allegiant Stadium is the NFL's newest arena and became the new home of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 after the franchise moved from Oakland to Sin City. The stadium cost an estimated $1.9 billion (£1.5bn) to build, and its construction took just under three years.

Its most notable feature is a retractable pitch, allowing the two teams who call it home, the Raiders and UNLV Rebels, to play on different surfaces. There is a tray underneath the stadium, weighing 9,500 tonnes, which is called into action when the surface needs to be switched.

The tray is powered using 72 electric motors, moving one pitch outside the stadium and the other into it. While the astroturf surface – favoured by the UNLV rebels – is being used, the grass field can receive natural sunlight and water.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium also has a retractable pitch so it can host NFL matches as well as Spurs games. United could use a retractable pitch if they ever wish to rival Tottenham in hosting NFL games or hold other sporting events there.

Old Trafford already hosts the Super League Grand Final each year, and in the past the match has left the turf in a rotten state. Having a retractable pitch could prevent that from happening in the future.

AdvertisementGetty Energy from cigarette butts

Yes, really. This is another feature of the Allegiant Stadium. Since the arena opened, more than 60,000 watts of energy have been created thanks to its cigarette waste-to-energy collection programme. The discarded cigarette butts are put through a combustion chamber to collect the ashes, which in turn are used to create power through a generator.

As well as creating energy, the programme ensures the cigarettes do not get into the waterway and it reduces litter in the local area. And it has helped the stadium achieve top-tier sustainability status.

Old Trafford is a smoke-free stadium, although fans still smoke outside it. However, with many supporters' smoking habits switching from cigarettes to vaping lately, this programme might struggle to get off the ground in Manchester.

GettyMultiple sports arenas in one place

When United arrive at the NRG Stadium in Houston to play Real Madrid, they will be flanked by sports arenas from all angles. The Astrodome, home to baseball World Series champions Houston Astros, is adjacent to the stadium, and just around the corner is the NRG Arena, an indoor venue which hosts livestock shows and rodeos.

In the US it is quite common to have different sporting stadiums in the same vicinity, and the sight is also familiar in Manchester after United's rivals City completed work on their new training ground in 2014, moving from Carrington to just a stone's throw away from the Etihad Stadium.

As well as being the place where Pep Guardiola puts his side through their paces each day, the City Football Academy houses the women's and youth teams' stadium and training pitches, giving the club all sorts of logistical advantages.

United have floated the idea of constructing a smaller stadium next to the revamped Old Trafford which the women's team and academy sides could call home. That would allow them to move from their current site at Leigh Sports Village, which is a 40-minute drive from Old Trafford and very difficult to access via public transport.

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Getty Air conditioning and climate control

The NRG Stadium and the Allegiant Stadium both benefit from air conditioning, although the latter's system is more modern than the former, which was built in 2002. The Las Vegas stadium is a fully enclosed, climate-controlled dome, and as well as air conditioning it provides heating, air purification and ventilation.

The air conditioning will come in handy when United play Madrid in Houston, with temperatures set to reach 34 degrees Celsius, and especially when they face Dortmund in Las Vegas, where it could be as hot as 44 degrees Celsius.

With Manchester experiencing one of the wettest and coldest Julys ever this year, air conditioning is unlikely to be a priority at a modernised Old Trafford. But then again, in this age of climate change and ever rising temperatures, you can never be too sure.

Many players try to play like Lionel Messi but few come anywhere close – That doesn't stop pundits from comparing their stars to the icon, though!

GettyBarcelona's new Messi: Bojan KrkicBest known to English football fans thanks to his goals for Stoke City, Bojan Krkic broke Lionel Messi's record for Barcelona's youngest debutant in 2007, earning him instant comparisons to the Argentine forward. He played over 100 La Liga games for Barca before moving on to Roma, AC Milan, Ajax and Stoke. In 2018, he revealed that the "new Messi" nickname held him back and that he rejected a chance to go to Euro 2008 with Spain because of anxiety issues.AdvertisementGettyCatalan Messi: Gerard DeulofeuAny player who comes up through the Barcelona academy is always going to be in the shadow of Messi. Gerard Deulofeu was given the nickname the "Catalan Messi" as he broke through during his teenage years. Now at Watford, the Spain international was sold by Barca to Everton in 2015 but actually returned to his hometown club in 2017 when they exercised a buy-back option in his contract. He teamed up with Messi, playing 23 times before being loaned out and then sold back to England.Getty ImagesCroatian Messi: Alen HalilovicNot all the new Messis get to follow in the original Messi's footsteps, but the 'Croatian Messi' arrived at Camp Nou in 2014 to sign for Barcelona from Dinamo Zagreb, where he had rose to fame. The youngest ever player to play for Zagreb at 16 years and 101 days, he also became the youngest player to play for Croatia in 2013. Unfortunately, his only first team involvement at Barcelona was less than half an hour in a cup game and he was sold to Hamburg in 2016. Now on the books at AC Milan, the 22-year-old joined Standard Liege on loan in January with the Belgian club having an option to buy him this summer.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty ImagesEgyptian Messi: Mohamed SalahMohamed Salah was named the 'Egyptian Messi' due to his amazing left foot, but by now he has moved on from the nickname to be regarded as one of the best players in the world. He finished sixth in the 2018 Ballon d'Or voting, just one place below Messi, having helped Liverpool reach the Champions League final and bringing Egypt to the World Cup. Still just 26, he followed up an exellent 2017-18 season with Liverpool by scoring over 20 league goals again in 2018-19 with the Reds again reaching the last four in Europe.

Bayern Munich will not sack Thomas Tuchel in the wake of their 3-2 loss to Bochum, but CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen refused to offer the board's support.

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Bayern beaten for third time in a rowTuchel under fire after another lossCEO says he will be in charge next weekWHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern found themselves 3-1 down at Bochum in a match that was interrupted on two occasions because of fan protests. Kane managed to pull a goal back late on for the German giants, but he could not prevent his team from losing a third consecutive match. Coach Tuchel has come under pressure amid the reigning Bundesliga champions' miserable run, and reports he is not considering resigning and has been assured that he will not be fired.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT DREESEN SAID

Asked by if Tuchel will be sacked, Dreesen said: "It was clear that this question was coming, it had been looming for some time. I don't believe in these monstrous statements of support for coaches. I've already said something about this, but it's not a question that arises for us today. We have to concentrate on the next games.

"I know how you want to hear it. I can say it that way too. But these vows of loyalty are usually over after a week, so I say it in my own way. I've said before – and I'll even repeat myself – that's not an issue we're currently dealing with."

When he was asked if Tuchel will still be in charge next week, Dreesen said: "Of course!"

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Bayern's misery began when the Bavarian side were outclassed in a 3-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen – in which they failed to have a shot on target – last week. They followed that up with another disappointing performance in the Champions League, losing 1-0 to Lazio in the first leg of their last-16 tie. The loss at Bochum now leaves Bayern eight points behind Leverkusen in the Bundesliga table.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

Bayern have another difficult test coming up as they take on RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on February 24. Leipzig put up a good fight when they came up against Real Madrid in the Champions League during the week, though they ended up losing 1-0, and followed that up with a 2-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach to keep them fifth in the league.

Brendon McCullum has agreed to play seven T20s for Birmingham this summer in a deal that further allays fears that the NatWest T20 Blast will be starved of international quality

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2015Brendon McCullum has agreed to play seven T20s for Birmingham this summer in a deal that further allays fears that the NatWest T20 Blast will be starved of international quality.McCullum gained the love of world cricket with his batting, leadership and attitude in captaining New Zealand to the World Cup final. He brings his side to tour England this summer and will stay on following the internationals for his stint in the NatWest Blast beginning on June 26 against Lancashire, giving a big boost to the reigning champions.McCullum’s World Cup specials

77 from 25 balls v England, Wellington
The innings that will resonate most with England fans. This not only consigned England to one of their heaviest defeats in history but included a particularly murderous assault on Steven Finn with 44 coming off 10 balls with six sixes.
50 from 24 balls v Australia, Auckland
McCullum threatened to humble Australia too in this blast in pursuit of another small target. This time Mitchell Johnson felt the force, being taken for 34 in 13 balls including an AB de Villiers-esque scoop for six.
59 from 26 balls v South Africa, Auckland
This one really mattered. New Zealand were chasing an almost seven-an-over target and their captain delivered a perfect start that ultimately helped them to their first World Cup final. Dale Steyn was casually lofted over his head into the stands.

“Brendon’s dynamic performances in the World Cup have demonstrated once again exactly why he is one of the most feared batsmen in the game,” Dougie Brown, Warwickshire director of cricket, said. “Securing his availability for our last seven games has to make him one of the biggest overseas player signings in the competition’s history.”His power at the top of the order and experience of playing in big matches are great assets to bolster our already strong squad as we look to win through to the quarter finals and defend our NatWest T20 Blast title.”McCullum, who has previously played T20 for Sussex in 2010 and Glamorgan in 2006, joins Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Martin Guptill, Grant Elliott, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Chris Gayle as World Cup stars who will play in this season’s NatWest Blast.”Hopefully I can make a big contribution and ensure that we can progress in the tournament,” McCullum, the leading run-scorer in international T20s, said. “Edgbaston is a fantastic ground to play at and hopefully it will be rocking for the big Friday night matches. I’m really excited about becoming a Bear and the challenge ahead.”The Bears’ title defence begins on May 15 against Nottinghamshire. McCullum will join for the final seven matches of the group stage.

With 2020 approaching, Goal picked out the greatest players to wear the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge over the past 10 years

Getty ImagesGK: Petr Cech

Chelsea claimed a first Champions League title in 2012 and Petr Cech was pivotal to the Blues' greatest moment.

The Czech goalkeeper saved a penalty from Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben in normal time and then, after the game at the Allianz Arena had finished 1-1, he stopped another two spot-kicks in the shootout to help seal victory for Roberto Di Matteo's unfancied side.

This was Cech's finest moment in a Chelsea shirt but there were many more notable triumphs. Indeed, he won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and the Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He also still holds the Premier League record for the most clean sheets in a single season (24), which he achieved in 2004-05.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Branislav Ivanovic

Branislav Ivanovic is one of the more underrated stars of the modern Chelsea era, with a number of key goals and performances underpinning his time in the capital.

A late winner against Napoli during the club's Champions League-winning run in 2012 was an early step on the road to greatness, while he was also the match-winner in the Europa League final against Benfica the following year.

The right-back spent nine years at the club and won nearly every major honour possible, including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, a League Cup, a Champions League and a Europa League.

He is not the most vocal character but he was an unassuming leader and just edges out Cesar Azpilicueta for the right-back berth.

IAN KINGTONCB: John Terry

Look up at the Matthew Harding end of Stamford Bridge and you will see the words: "JT Captain, leader, legend".

John Terry means as much to Chelsea fans as any player, a homegrown defender who went on to become the most successful footballer to wear the club's colours.

The academy product led the Blues to the Premier League title in 2005 – the Londoners' first championship for 50 years – and was voted Players' Player of the Year.

He would add another four titles to his collection, and lift the Champions League for the first time, in 2012, before leaving Stamford Bridge in 2017.

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Getty ImagesCB: Gary Cahill

"He has won it all" sang Chelsea fans as Gary Cahill left Chelsea in the summer of 2019 following a glorious career at Stamford Bridge.

Not many expected much of the £7 million ($8.9m) signing from Bolton Wanderers but he was immediately thrust in the spotlight.

Cahill was pivotal to Chelsea's Champions League run in 2012, most notably putting in a fantastic performance in the first leg of the semi-final triumph over Barcelona.

He went down injured in the second leg, but he returned in time for the club's finest hour, in Munich.

Upon Terry's departure, Cahill became club captain and he gets the nod ahead of David Luiz for his fantastic leadership skills.

Roma have made some impressive player sales this century!

Roma are one of the most legendary football clubs in Italy.

The club have given rise to some of the greatest footballers in history who achieved legendary status in the game.

We all know of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.

But, what about Bruno Conti, one of the best players in the world in his prime, or Cafu, who made 163 appearances for Roma over six years!?

Or Alisson and Mohamed Salah, who went on to have great careers at Liverpool!?

While Roma have brought in some great players over the years, they have also sold them at a high price.

Which players form part of Roma's most expensive sales, though?

Let's take a look!

Roma most expensive sales by season

Season

Biggest sale

Fee

Total sales

2022/23

Pau Lopez

€12M/£10.80M

€49.85M/£44.87M

2021/22

Mert Cetin

€7M/£6.30M

€14.02M/£12.62M

2020/21

Patrik Schick

€26.50M/£23.85M

€48M/£43.20M

2019/20

Konstantinos Manolas

€36M/£32.40M

€106.38M/£95.74M

2018/19

Alisson

€62.50M/£56.25M

€150.46M/£135.42M

2017/18

Mohamed Salah

€42M/£37.80M

€155M/£139.50M

2016/17

Adem Ljajic

€9M/£8.10M

€43.43M/£39.09M

2015/16

Miralem Pjanic

€32M/£28.80M

€134.25M/£120.83M

2014/15

Medhi Benatia

€28M/£25.20M

€42.60M/£38.34M

2013/14

Marquinhos

€31.40M/£28.26M

€120.39M/£108.35M

2012/13

Fabio Borini

€13.30M/£11.97M

€21.56M/£19.40M

2011/12

Mirko Vucinic

€15M/£13.50M

€26.13M/£23.51M

2010/11

Alessio Cerci

€4M/£3.60M

€10.65M/£9.59M

2009/10

Alberto Aquilani

€20M/£18M

€22.08M/£19.87M

2008/09

Mancini

€13M/£11.70M

€18M/£16.20M

2007/08

Cristian Chivu

€16M/£14.40M

€22.92M/£20.62M

2006/07

Mido

€6.75M/£6.08M

€19.62M/£17.65M

2005/06

Antonio Cassano

€5.50M/£4.95M

€6.60M/£5.94M

2004/05

Emerson

€28M/£25.20M

€61.40M/£55.26M

2003/04

None

Nil

Nil

2002/03

Marcos Assuncao

€7M/£6.30M

€13.95M/£12.56M

2001/02

Hidetoshi Nakata

€28.40M/£25.56M

€58.63M/£52.76M

2000/01

Vagner

€5M/£4.50M

€8.36M/£7.52M

TOTAL

€1.15B/£1.04B

*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.

Roma top 10 most expensive player salesGetty Images10Medhi Benatia | €28 million/£25.20 million | Bayern Munich | 2014

Moroccan legend Medhi Benatia started his senior club football journey in 2005 after graduating from Marseille's academy.

After loan spells at Tours and Lorient, he joined Ligue 2 club Clermont in 2008.

In 2010, Udinese came calling, signing him for free.

Three seasons and 80 appearances later, Benatia moved to Roma in a €13.50 million move.

However, after just one season in Rome, Bayern Munich came calling, signing him for €28m.

After 29 appearances for Bayern over two seasons, he was loaned to Juventus, who made his move permanent for €16.70m in 2017.

He left Juventus in 2019 before moving to Al-Duhail in Qatar. In the summer of 2021, Benatia moved to Turkish club Fatih Karagumruk before retiring from professional football in December 2021.

AdvertisementGetty9Hidetoshi Nakata | €28.40 million/£25.56 million | Parma | 2001

After the 1998 World Cup in France, Nakata moved to Italy, signing with Perugia for €3.50 million.

In January 2000, after making 48 appearances for Perugia, AS Roma came calling, signing him for €21.69m.

Nakata played a crucial role in helping Roma win the Scudetto in his one season with the club.

His best performance for Roma came on May 6, 2001 against Juventus. After replacing Francesco Totti in the second half with Roma trailing 2-0, Nakata first scored a 30-yard thunderbolt past Edwin van der Sar before helping Roma score the equaliser with another fierce strike which was parried by the Dutch goalkeeper in the parth of Vincenzo Montella, who scored for Roma in the last minute.

The Japanese midfielder moved to Parma in the summer of 2001, for €28.40m.

Erik Lamela Roma8Erik Lamela | €30 million/£27 million | Tottenham | 2013

After spending two years as a youngster at River Plate's academy in Argentina, Erik Lamela made a move to Europe with Roma for €17 million.

In two seasons with Roma, Lamela made 62 appearances, scoring 19 goals before Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur came calling.

The Argentine winger was sold to the North London club for €30m in the summer of 2013.

After eight years with Spurs, Lamela moved to Sevilla as a free agent in July 2021.

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Getty Images7Marquinhos | €31.40 million/£28.26 million | PSG | 2013

Product of the famous Corinthians academy in Brazil, Marquinhos made a move to Serie A with Roma in 2012 on a season-long loan, making 16 appearances.

Roma chose to sign him for €5.70 million in January 2013.

After making just 10 appearances for the Italian club, he was shipped to PSG in July 2013 for €31.40m, at a massive profit.

Sheffield United legend Billy Sharp has fired a fresh dig at Wrexham, claiming they “can have a documentary about” his FA Cup goal from last season.

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Blades legend settled dramatic cup tieRuffled a few feathers at the timeNot a fan of the Dragons' current bossWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blades icon helped to dump the Dragons out of one domestic cup competition in 2022-23, with his dramatic stoppage-time strike settling an epic fourth-round replay at Bramall Lane. Sharp aimed post-match jibes at Wrexham after that contest, and has done so again following the release of season two in the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT THEY SAID

Sharp – who is now plying his trade in MLS with the LA Galaxy – has told in a pot shot at the Welsh club and their Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney: “If they want to put me in the documentary, go ahead. I think people in Los Angeles probably know me now for scoring goals rather than knocking (Wrexham) out of the FA Cup. People don’t even know the real story. Wrexham will put out what they want to on their documentary, and maybe I’ll put out my own and tell them what really happened.”

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He added on what happened during a fiery contest in South Yorkshire: “I scored the goal, which knocked them out, and a little scuffle happened in the changing room. I don’t really like their manager anyway from past experiences, and he probably doesn’t like me. It’s just one of those things in football where it sometimes gets very overheated…I know what they’re going to do; they’re going to show the clips that make me look like a baddie. That’s fine. I’ll wait to see what happens and have my say afterwards. The record book says we beat them in the FA Cup, so they can have a documentary about it if they want.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

While clearly not a fan of Wrexham or their manager Phil Parkinson, Sharp has joked that he could take the reins at SToK Racecourse in the future. He said when asked about his plans for retirement: “I’ll probably become Wrexham manager when Parkinson gets the sack.”