Brazil, Germany & every World Cup winner from 1930 to 2014
The 2018 World Cup in Russia kicks off in just three months time, but who else has claimed the most famous trophy in world football?
The 2018 World Cup in Russia kicks off in just three months time, but who else has claimed the most famous trophy in world football?
Southampton’s decision to let Steven Davis join Rangers on a free transfer in the summer of 2019 looks to have been a poor one, with the Northern Ireland international emphasising his quality in Steven Gerrard’s side this season.
After an initial loan spell, the experienced midfielder was allowed to join the Ibrox outfit on a free transfer, having made the switch from Rangers to Southampton seven years earlier.
Southampton originally signed Davis from the Glasgow club in 2012 and he went on to make 226 appearances for the Saints, contributing 14 goals and 26 appearances.
However, his influence in Southampton’s side clearly waned and he made just three Premier League appearances in the first half of the 2018/19 season before joining Gerrard’s side on loan, where the former Liverpool captain was convinced to make the midfielder’s deal permanent in the summer.
Despite now being 36, Davis has been hugely impressive for Rangers this season and has been an important part of their superb title win, making 30 appearances in the Premiership, where his performances have seen him average an impressive 6.99 WhoScored rating.
The veteran, who reportedly earns £20,000 per week at Rangers, shows no signs of slowing down and was recently rewarded with a one-year contract extension by the club , so will undoubtedly be an important member of their squad next season.
[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/southampton-saints-ralph-hasenhuttl-martin-semmens-st-marys” title=”Latest Southampton news, transfer rumours and more”]
Davis also continues to be a regular with Northern Ireland and recently broke Peter Shilton’s long-standing record to become the most capped UK player in history after he earned his 126th cap for his country.
Considering the injury problems Southampton have faced, particularly this season, having someone of Davis’ experience at the club would have perhaps been useful both on and off the pitch, as he could have provided excellent cover when Oriol Romeu and Ibrahima Diallo were sidelined earlier in the season.
[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]
Davis clearly has the fitness and talent to play at the top level, so it seems clear that Southampton let him go far too easily in 2019 as, even at 36, he could have been an important part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad this season had they stuck with him.
In other news… Southampton could find their Ward-Prowse replacement in 23 y/o beast who is a “joy to watch”
With the Scudetto race now effectively decided, Goal selects the 11 best performers from a dramatic 2017-18 campaign…
Some Liverpool fans have been providing their thoughts on the latest regarding Erling Haaland, with the Reds reportedly interested in signing him.
Jurgen Klopp will be looking to delve into the transfer market this summer, in order to make his squad even more formidable.
While Liverpool have struggled this season, mitigating circumstances such as injuries have been a key reason for it, rather than the quality not being good enough.
This is still a superb squad made up of numerous world-class players, so only a few tweaks should be needed in order to make the Reds contenders again in 2021/22.
Haaland’s future is set to be arguably the biggest transfer story of the summer, with the Borussia Dortmund youngster possibly the most in-demand player in world football right now.
The Norwegian striker is being linked with Europe’s biggest clubs, with his father and agent talking to both Barcelona and Real Madrid on Thursday.
Liverpool are believed to be in the race to sign Haaland now too however, with Mundo Deportivo those representatives will fly to England this Friday and talk to Liverpool over a potential move – it seems as if they are doing the rounds.
These Reds supporters have been reacting to the update on Twitter, with plenty of excitement in the air.
“Oh my”
Credit: @sisenor_9
“It’s all down to Edwards now to sell the idea of Klopp’s vision and the fact we are LIVERPOOL FC. Need I say any more”
Credit: @LeeMc80788467
“Please please please please”
Credit: @MH_Liverpool
“Michael Edwards will do it again”
Credit: @KaanBursa9
“Ah Jesus.. please happen”
Credit: @moustache_and
“It will go off on here when Edwards gets Haaland for Matip and Origi and £4million a year for next 8 years”
Credit: @GaryHart127
In other news, some Liverpool fans have been lauding the international performance of one Reds star. Find out who it is here.
In a recent interview with Football FanCast, former Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood has made a claim about Ollie Watkins’ chances of featuring in the England squad for the Euros this summer, and if his claim turns out to be true, then it could well be good news for Dean Smith.
Speaking exclusively to FFC about Watkins’ chances of being called up, Harewood said:
“I wouldn’t rule it out. But with the calibre of strikers that we have now, I can’t see him being ahead of the majority of them that can play up there because you’ve [also] got the likes of Sterling and players like that can play up front now.”
Whilst Watkins will undoubtedly be hoping to receive his first England cap in the near future after an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League, keeping him away from Gareth Southgate’s squad could allow Smith to hold on to the 25-year-old for a while longer.
Since signing from Brentford in the summer transfer window for a club-record fee of £28 million, the striker, who reportedly earns £75k per week, has been a huge part of Villa’s success this season, contributing 10 goals and three assists in 27 Premier League appearances, resulting in an impressive 7.23 rating.
This includes an impressive hat-trick in Villa’s 7-2 win against Liverpool earlier in the season, with the young striker having also formed an excellent partnership with Jack Grealish this season, with the duo arguably the two most influential and valuable players in Smith’s squad.
If Watkins were to receive an England call-up, you could argue that it would attract the attention of the clubs in the Premier League who are regulars in the Champions League and Europa League, which could lead to Watkins having his head turned.
Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a move for the striker in the summer before his move to Villa and now that he has established himself in the top-flight, perhaps we could see them return for him in the future, especially if he starts performing on the international stage.
Furthermore, the youngster getting a well-earned break in the summer could be hugely beneficial to Villa, especially after such a demanding season.
Therefore, if Harewood’s claim comes true and Watkins is left out of Southgate’s squad for the upcoming friendlies and Euros, then it may well prove to be a boost to Villa.
And, in other news… Tyrone Mings let Smith down with a shocking display vs Newcastle
It may have ended in yet another Premier League defeat for West Brom, but there’s no questioning that there were plenty of positives to take from the game against Everton on Thursday night.
The Baggies were left to walk away with nothing after a strike from Richarlison, but Sam Allardyce’s men put in one of their more impressive displays of the campaign and were desperately unlucky not to at least grab a point.
They managed the same number of shots and shots on target as the visitors, with Jordan Pickford forced into making a couple of fines saves on the night.
But, one man who let his manager down with a truly woeful display was Matheus Pereira.
The winger looked completely out of sorts going forward, being extremely sloppy in possession and causing any potential counter-attacks and dangerous moves to break down – as per Sofascore, he lost possession 24 times, which was the joint-most of any Baggies player on the pitch.
He also failed to provide a single key pass – something that three of the Baggies’ back-line managed – and missed the target with all six of the crosses that he attempted.
In his post-match player ratings for the Birmingham Mail, Joseph Chapman gave him a 5 (the lowest of any West Brom player), and wrote: “A bit like on Saturday against Brighton, he wasn’t at the races in the first period. Passes went astray, moves fell down when they reached him.
“That’s unlike Pereira, who knows already that Allardyce won’t hesitate to change things up. Marginally better in the second but must rediscover that spark.”
That point about Allardyce not being hesitate to “change things up” should result in Pereira being dropped from the Baggies’ next game.
The 24-year-old has failed to score or assist in his last six Premier League games, and his latest howler should see the West Brom boss take the initiative and leave him out against Newcastle United on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Carlton Palmer has exclusively delivered his verdict on West Brom…
Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been reacting to footage regarding youngster Carney Chukwuemeka on social media.
Chukwuemeka, who was attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Juventus just last month, scored on his debut for England’s Under-18 side in a friendly against Wales on Monday.
The 17-year-old picked the ball up from just over the halfway line and exchanged a give-and-go with a teammate before calmly slotting past the goalkeeper.
Fellow Villa youngsters Louie Barry and Aaron Ramsey also featured against Wales for the Three Lions.
Chukwuemeka signed professional terms at Villa Park last October and was included in Dean Smith’s matchday squad for the first time against Leicester City last month.
The midfielder has made 16 appearances for the club’s youth side this season, scoring once and registering three assists.
@academyavfc shared Chukwuemeka’s goal on Twitter on Monday afternoon.
This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with many excited for the future.
“Give this lad some first team football while we having nothing to play for”
Credit: @lew_clamp
“Our academy is here to take over”
Credit: @1874dan
“This lads a talent!”
Credit: @Deankerr04
“this is too good for u18 football”
Credit: @Dpn76
“Very good team effort”
Credit: @Berdan08914685
“Looks like such a strong player”
Credit: @andyvillan1212
In other news: Villa keen on Rangers star ahead of summer window, find out more here.
According to SporX, West Bromwich Albion are set to prioritise a move for Haris Seferovic over Mbaye Diagne.
The Baggies were reportedly in talks to sign Diagne, but are said to have been put off making a move for the Galatasaray forward after learning about the terms he wanted.
As such, they are now set to prioritise a move for Seferovic instead.
Seferovic has been in good form for Benfica so far this campaign, scoring ten goals and providing three assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt). However, throughout his career, his goalscoring record has been erratic. For example, he netted just nine times in 45 games last term, but during the 18/19 term, he struck 27 times in 51 matches.
Diagne, meanwhile, has far more of a solid track record. He has 11 in 19 games this season and has a record of more than a goal every two matches throughout his time as a professional.
Money clearly appears to be an issue at the Hawthorns at the moment, but Seferovic is valued at £9m (Transfermarkt) and has three more years left on his contract in Portugal – he could well cost the club a considerable sum. Either way, the Baggies need a striker after scoring just 15 times in the Premier League so far this term (Sky Sports) – they need to get a deal done quickly.
In other news, West Brom eye a move for this 38-time Belgium international.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite will have thrilled Carlo Ancelotti after producing a brilliant performance during his Blackburn Rovers debut at home to Stoke City on Saturday.
Branthwaite only moved to Ewood Park on Thursday after agreeing to a half-season loan deal to become the Championship side’s first signing of the January transfer window.
The 18-year-old described the deal as a “no-brainer” as Tony Mowbray’s side was the only club he wanted to leave the Toffees for, after making only one first-team outing at Goodison Park this term due to an early-season ankle injury.
Branthwaite played the full 90 minutes as Blackburn rescued a point at home to Stoke on Saturday, in a game that saw the Potters’ influence grow throughout the second-period as Rovers struggled to find their rhythm.
Stoke took the lead late in the first half courtesy of a Nick Powell header but were pegged back by Adam Armstrong, who saved the Lancashire outfit’s blushes against a 10-man Potters side with his 16th goal of the Championship campaign.
Despite Stoke’s pressure, Branthwaite offered a reassuring presence at the back with strong and assertive challenges, and Rovers have been lauded by Lancs Live for bringing a ball-playing centre-half to Ewood Park, even if the £15,000-per-week titan’s inexperience occasionally came to the surface at set-pieces.
Rovers supporters also flooded a club tweet praising Branthwaite for an assured display, with some describing the 6 ft 5 colossus as their Man of the Match for his brilliant efforts.
Branthwaite deservedly earned the praise of Blackburn supporters following his debut, as his performance offered Mowbray a key figure beside Rovers captain Darragh Lenihan that will have undoubtedly delighted Ancelotti back at Everton.
The teen talent, making his first senior appearance in any competition since September, attempted one additional tackle compared to his experienced central defensive partner Lenihan, with each man boasting a 100% tackle success rate with in each of their three and two respective tackles, per WhoScored.
Branthwaite further stood firm to provide his side’s second-most clearances (3) to help protect Thomas Kaminski’s goal, was never dribbled past, and offered two interceptions to thwart Stoke’s frontline consisting of six-goal striker Powell and Jacob Brown, who has offered 0.8 shots per game on average this season as a frequent attacking threat.
Ancelotti will also have been impressed to see the Blues’ prospect contest a game-high five defensive aerial duels with a 60% success rate, as he held down the left-side of defence beside full-back Barry Douglas, winning more aerial duels than Everton’s current centre-half options have averaged per game in the Premier League this season.
Branthwaite was also far safer in possession than 26-year-old Lenihan, with an 84% completion rate from 41 of 49 passes, compared to his teammate’s 74%, while losing possession 10 times compared to 19, and never shying from taking the ball to register 62 touches, per SofaScore.
Had Branthwaite’s performance been in an Ancelotti backline during a top-flight fixture, his efforts would likely have stood out, with only Ben Godfrey offering a greater haul of successful tackles per game (3.3) when fielded centrally for Everton, per WhoScored.
It was a good start to his team at Blackburn, hopefully for Everton, Branthwaite can continue to play in such a manner for the rest of the season and come back to Goodison Park as a player who is ready to battle for a regular place in Ancelotti’s starting line-up.
AND in other news, Everton are monitoring a £9m defensive titan ahead of a potential January transfer.
After a wretched run of games saw Arsenal hover just above the relegation zone, Mikel Arteta’s side have begun to pick things up in the Premier League in the last week or so.
The Gunners ended their dismal stretch with a superb victory over Chelsea in the London derby, before grinding out a very impressive 1-0 win away from home against Brighton.
The north Londoners next face West Brom on Saturday evening, with the Baggies coming into the game off the back of a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Leeds United last time out.
Arteta will surely be keep things the same in regards to his team selection, but there are one or two big calls that he may feel inclined to make. And with that in mind, below is a look at how Arsenal might line up for their Premier League clash against West Brom.
In goal, Bernd Leno will be hoping to add to his clean sheet numbers after picking one up against Brighton last time out, whilst the back four is also unlikely to see any changes.
Arteta may want to consider bringing Dani Ceballos into the fold however, with the £28.8m-rated ace’s extra bit of creativity and guile surely worth more in a game like West Brom than the industry Mohamed Elneny would provide.
The likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka should all keep their places, whilst Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s anonymous performance against Brighton could see him drop out, with the in-form Alexandre Lacazette coming back into the side.
Predicted XI: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Mari, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Lacazette.