Robert Lewandowski needed just 50 minutes with Lamine Yamal to realise that the Barcelona wonderkid was a “special” talent.

Youngster made breakthrough at 15Compared with all-time great MessiOlder team-mates learning from himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Having worked his way through the fabled La Masia academy system, Yamal was promoted to the first-team ranks at just 15 years of age. He immediately caught the eye of senior stars in Catalunya, with it clear from the off that he was a global superstar in the making.

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Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski told of his first look at Yamal, who has been likened to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi: “It is the first time in my life I saw after 50 minutes that he had something special. I didn't believe it because I didn't see this kind of player at this age – I thought this is impossible at 15.”

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Yamal has now passed his 18th birthday, signing a new lucrative contract and inheriting the No.10 shirt at Camp Nou that eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi once wore with such distinction. He is expected to claim his own Golden Ball at some point in the not too distant future.

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Lewandowski has competed for that prize himself and, at 36 years of age, admits that he can still take important lessons from younger colleagues. The prolific frontman added: “I understood that I cannot fight with them but I can help them and they can also help me. I learn from them a lot. I didn't think it would happen like that.

“When I see that I still don't have to catch the young guys, that they still have to catch me, it means this next season can also be very good. I am still there to show the best performance from myself.”

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O Internacional aposta na manutenção do elenco e da comissão técnica para seguir competitivo e na briga por títulos em 2023. A equipe terminou como vice-campeã na última edição do Campeonato Brasileiro e, por conta da campanha positiva, uma das metas da diretoria estava na permanência de 80% do plantel para este ano.

No final de 2022, o Colorado já havia anunciado a renovação de nomes importantes para o grupo como o zagueiro Mercado, o meia De Pena e o atacante Alemão. Além desses jogadores, o técnico Mano Menezes teve o contrato estendido por mais um ano. Em 2023, outras permanências foram oficializadas, caso de Rodrigo Moledo, que também renovou, e Wanderson, comprado por R$ 24,7 milhões em seis parcelas semestrais, junto ao Krasnodar-RUS.

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>Confira as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

– Na temporada passada assumimos um compromisso de realizar uma reformulação no grupo de atletas. Com a chegada do Mano Menezes e do William Thomas, juntamente com mudanças estruturais que fizemos, conseguimos mudar a fotografia do grupo. Crescemos ao longo do ano e finalizamos deixando uma boa impressão. Para 2023, conseguimos manter boa parte do elenco e iniciaremos com a mesma comissão técnica. Agora, cabe a nós mantermos esse trabalho para continuarmos evoluindo – afirmou o Presidente, Alessandro Barcellos.

Até o momento, o Inter anunciou as saídas de Edenílson, volante que atuou como titular em boa parte dos jogos com Mano, e de Taison, que rescindiu com o clube. Ambos os jogadores tinham o desejo de sair para buscar novos ares, acertando com Atlético-MG e PAOK-GRE, respectivamente. O atacante David, pouco aproveitado em 2022, está em vias de ser anunciado como reforço do São Paulo em empréstimo até o fim do ano. Quem também está prestes a deixar o Colorado é o goleiro Daniel, nome que perdeu a posição no fim da temporada para Keiller e deve jogar no futebol dos Estados Unidos.

Outro fator que faz jus a estratégia da diretoria em concentrar esforços para manter os jogadores do atual elenco está no número baixo de novas contratações. Para esta temporada, o lateral-direito Mário Fernandes, que veio do CSKA Moscou-RUS, por empréstimo, foi o único anunciado.

Dos times que terminaram na parte de cima do Brasileirão em 2022, a maioria está fazendo o mesmo movimento de manutenção do plantel. O Palmeiras, atual campeão, não fez nenhuma contratação. Corinthians e Athletico-PR anunciaram só dois reforços enquanto o Flamengo contratou apenas Gérson.

Na contramão desses clubes, o Fluminense buscou mais nomes e fechou sete contratações, embora não tenha perdido nenhuma peça importante do time considerado titular.

– O Internacional sempre busca reforçar o seu elenco, seguindo diretrizes claras dentro do processo interno que é realizado para contratações. Nosso planejamento neste momento é aumentar a competitividade interna, buscando jogadores que estejam conectados ao nosso projeto e com a ambição de grandes objetivos no clube e na sua carreira – finaliza Barcellos.

Manchester United’s Under-21s were forced to abandon their National League Cup tie at Tamworth following a frightening head injury to rising star Sekou Kone. The Group A fixture, held at the Lamb Ground on Wednesday evening, came to an abrupt halt after the 19-year-old Mali international was hurt while defending a corner.

• Manchester United U-21 game abandoned after injury
• Kone suffered a serious head clash
• Malian midfielder stable, recovering in hospital

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kone suffered a clash of heads during an aerial battle as he tried to thwart an opposition set-piece. He remained on the pitch for nearly 15 minutes, receiving urgent medical attention before the half-time whistle. Tamworth’s official social media confirmed the abandonment, posting: “Due to the medical situation, we are forced to abandon tonight’s fixture. Details will be revealed in due course. We would like to wish safe travels to all the Man United fans, staff and players. We especially wish Sekou Kone a speedy recovery.”

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  reported that a replacement ambulance was required at the Lamb Ground, prolonging the stoppage and forcing officials to call off the game entirely. At the time, the score remained 0-0.

• WHAT MANCHESTER UNITED SAID

  United swiftly issued a statement on Koné’s condition, offering reassurance to fans and supporters: "We can confirm Sekou is conscious, stable and communicating with United’s medical team. He has been taken to hospital, as a precaution, for further checks. Everybody at the club wishes him a speedy recovery."

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  Koeé, who joined United last summer for a reported £1 million, has been touted as one of the club’s brightest young talents. Often compared to former midfield maestro Yaya Toure, the 19-year-old caught the eye with his performances at the 2023 U17 World Cup, where Mali finished third. Despite not yet making his senior debut, Kone played 14 times for the U21s last season, impressing with his tactical awareness in midfield.

نجح نادي ليفربول في حسم صفقة ذهبية، في اليوم الأخير من موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي، لعام 2025، من أجل تعزيز صفوف الفريق، رغم تعاقده مع العديد من اللاعبين المميزين ذلك الصيف بالفعل.

وكان ليفربول نشطًا بقوة في الميركاتو الصيفي لذلك العام، سواء على مستوى الصفقات الجديدة أو الراحلين.

وتعاقد مع ليفربول مع 8 لاعبين جدد في نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية، وهم: جيريمي فريمبونج، فلوريان فيرتز، أرمين بيتشي، ميلوس كيركيز، هوجو إيكتيكي، فريدي وودمان، ويل رايت وجيوفاني ليوني.

ورغم ذلك، كان ليفربول متمسكًا بفكرة التعاقد مع لاعب بعينه منذ بداية الميركاتو الصيفي، وهو ألكسندر إيزاك نجم نيوكاسل يونايتد.

وسبق أن تقدم ليفربول بعرض تصل قيمته المالية إلى 110 مليون جنيه إسترليني، وهو ما قوبل بالرفض من جانب نيوكاسل، رغم رغبة اللاعب نفسه في الانضمام إلى حامل لقب الدوري.

وتمرد إيزاك على نيوكاسل يونايتد حيث رفض المشاركة في الفترة التحضيرية للموسم الحالي، مما أدى إلى استبعاده من التدريبات الجماعية، وانتشرت تقارير صحفية تفيد أن إدارة النادي قررت معاقبته ماليًا.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد اقترابه من ليفربول.. مارك جويهي يلمح بشأن مستقبله بعد الفوز ضد أستون فيلا

ونتج عن ذلك إصدار بيان ناري من جانب إيزاك، هاجم من خلاله نيوكاسل واتهم الإدارة بالكذب عليه، بعدما سبقت وأن وعدته بالسماح برحيله حال تلقي عرض مناسب، وهو ما لم يحدث.

واشتعلت الأمور بعد ذلك حيث اضطر نيوكاسل إلى إصدار بيان للرد على إيزاك، الذي لم يشارك في أي مباراة رفقة كتيبة إيدي هاو ذلك الموسم.

ومع دخولنا اليوم الأخير من نافذة الانتقالات، لم يستسلم ليفربول وفتح مجال المحادثات مع نيوكاسل، حيث تسارعت وتيرة المفاوضات بينهما في الساعات الماضية، قبل أن يتوصلا إلى اتفاق نهائي.

وحسبما ذكر الصحفي الشهير فابريزيو رومانو، فإن صفقة انتقال ألكسندر إيزاك قد تمت بنجاح، حيث سينتقل إلى ملعب “الأنفيلد” مقابل 130 مليون جنيه إسترليني، وهو ما يمثل صفقة قياسية في البريميرليج.

وأوضحت أن اللاعب السويدي سيخضع للفحص الطبي اليوم قبل إعلان صفقة انتقاله رسميًا إلى ليفربول، بمقتضى عقد طويل الأمد، موضحًا أن الريدز هو الخيار الوحيد لـ إيزاك منذ فترة طويلة.

Hull City have completed the signing of former Manchester United full-back Brandon Williams on a one-year deal. Williams looked set for a big career after bursting into the first team at United aged just 19 but it has not worked out that way. The left-back went on loan to Norwich and Ipswich and was finally released by the Red Devils in 2024 when his contract expired.

Hull City sign former United star WilliamsFull-back signed a one-year contractMade his debut for United in 2019Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Williams was on trial at Hull this summer and after impressive performances in pre-season friendlies against Sunderland and Getafe, the Tigers offered him a one-year contract, with an option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.

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After formally signing the dotted lines, Williams told Hull's official website: "It feels good to be back in the team environment and back on the pitch. Everyone has been very welcoming. It's been a good few weeks but I'm just happy I'm here now and can focus on the football. I had a couple of very honest meetings with the manager. We know it's going to be a process to get fully back up to speed, having that time out. It had been 20 months since I played or was involved with a team. I appreciated the manager's honesty. Now, it's down to me to work hard and get as many games as I can.

"It was very difficult [taking a break from football] – mentally and physically. It's been a long road back, but probably something I needed. Now, I'm back here a different person. I've grown up a lot and I'm ready to just focus on the football. I've missed it. I'm hungry, I'm fiery. I know what quality I can bring to the team. As soon as I get back to that, I'm sure I'll be an asset to the team."

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In August 2023, Williams was spotted driving his Audi A3 on the A34 close to Handforth, Cheshire, at high speeds and erratically as his car crashed into the central reservation after colliding with a Ford Fiesta. He entered a guilty plea to reckless driving and uninsured driving. The 24-year-old was handed a 14-month suspended jail sentence in May and ordered to do community service.

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Hull City will be back in action on Sunday as they host Oxford United in a Championship clash. 

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O Palmeiras segue representando a Amarelinha na base. Isso porque o goleiro Cesar, os zagueiros Benedetti e Vitor Reis, e o atacante Estêvão foram convocados pela Seleção Brasileira sub-17 nesta quarta-feira (15) para amistosos diante do Equador, nos dias 28 de fevereiro e 2 de março, em Quito. Os jogos são de preparação para o Sul-Americano da categoria, que começa no dia 30 de março.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2023 clicando aqui

Na primeira convocação para o selecionado da categoria neste ano, Benedetti, Vitor e Estêvão foram chamados para representar o Brasil e retornam para a lista. Naquela ocasião, Benedetti, que chegou ao Verdão no segundo semestre de 2022, estreou na Seleção Brasileira.

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Vale lembrar que o Palmeiras esteve representado por dois nomes no Sul-Americano sub-20, na Colômbia, que foi conquistado recentemente pela Seleção. O goleiro Kaique e o meia Luis Guilherme fizeram parte do grupo que classificou o Brasil para o Mundial da categoria. O zagueiro Michel também estava no grupo, mas foi cortado por conta de lesão antes do início do torneio.

>Palmeiras tem início de Brasileirão com clássicos e reencontros; confira a lista de jogos

O Palmeiras foi o clube que mais cedeu jogadores para seleções brasileiras de base nos últimos seis anos. Em 2022, foram 13 atletas palestrinos chamados para defender a Amarelinha. Confira abaixo o número de convocados por ano:

– 2017: 18 convocados
– 2018: 29 convocados
– 2019: 17 convocados
– 2020: 13 convocados
– 2021: 14 convocados
– 2022: 13 convocados

Al-Nassr boss Jorge Jesus has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as a "great example" after their Saudi Super Cup semi-final win over Al-Ittihad.

• Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 2-1
• Ronaldo hailed as "great example"
• Closes in on first Saudi trophy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portugal international Ronaldo inched one step closer to his first trophy in Saudi Arabia after helping Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 2-1 on Tuesday. Following the victory, manager Jesus stressed how great a role model the ex-Manchester United star is.

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  WHAT JESUS SAID

  He said, via Ojogo: "Ronaldo is a great example for world football. He's 40 years old and delivers athletic and physical performances. And let's not forget that 80% of the fans in the stadium are here because of Ronaldo. Al-Nassr deserves to have this global star."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jesus has only been Al-Nassr's manager for a matter of weeks but he is once again singing the praises of the former Real Madrid striker. Very few footballers have continued playing into their 40s but Ronaldo is bucking the trend. He will go down as one of the game's greatest ever players, and now he wants to secure his first bit of silverware at Al-Nassr.

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  Ronaldo's team will now wait to see which of Al-Ahli or Al-Qadisiyah makes it to the Saudi Super Cup final on Saturday. Before then, Jesus hopes his players can recover for that showpiece event.

  He added: "This game left us physically exhausted, the humidity was very high, and we played with ten men, but it was a beautiful victory that gives the team a lot of confidence. Al Ittihad created one chance and didn't generate many more after that."

Chelsea have been told they will have to increase their offer for Fermin Lopez after submitting a surprise bid for the Barcelona midfielder this week.

Barcelona value Fermin at €70mFlick counting on him for the seasonChelsea give Spanish midfielder 48 hours to decideFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Barcelona have made their stance clear on Fermin, demanding at least €70 million (£59m/$76m) for the 22-year-old. The Catalan giants insist they only consider a transfer if two conditions are met: If Fermin himself requests to leave and that an offer arrives that matches the scale of Premier League spending. So far, Chelsea have been monitoring the Spaniard closely and signalled they would be willing to pay €50m (£43m/$58m). The report adds that the Blues have given Fermin 48 hours to decide if he wants to join them before moving forward.

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Hansi Flick sees the attacking midfielder as an important part in his plans, especially after his breakout run in the final stretch of last season where he helped secure Barcelona’s league title. With a contract running until 2029, Barca feel secure in negotiations and are in no rush to sell. Chelsea, meanwhile, remain one of Europe’s most aggressive spenders in the market, having already invested nearly €280m (£235m/$305m) on 18 signings this summer.

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Chelsea’s recruitment drive has seen them bring in Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap and Estevao Willian, balancing the books through a large number of departures. The London club are now focused on Fermin, with Stamford Bridge executives prepared to test Barcelona’s resolve. The Spaniard recently extended his deal until 2029, strengthening Barca’s hand.

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The Blues must decide whether to meet Barcelona’s €70m valuation to have any chance of landing Fermin. The Blaugrana club, for now, remain calm and expect the player to stay unless a massive bid arrives. After being on the bench during the club’s 3-2 comeback against Levante, Fermin will hope to feature in the upcoming clash with Rayo Vallecano.

Manchester City star Erling Haaland has changed the name that shows on the back of his Norway shirt ahead of his country's next World Cup qualifier.

• Haaland changes shirt name for Norway
• National boss knew nothing about it
• Will debut it for upcoming games

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to retailer Unisportstore, the Manchester City star's Norway shirt will now read Braut Haaland and not just Haaland. Norway fans will see this new change, which incorporates the former Borussia Dortmund man's middle name, in their September fixtures.

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• WHAT THE NORWAY MANAGER SAID

  Norway manager Stale Solbakken said he was not kept in the loop about this shirt name change.

  He told Dagbladet: "That's his name [Braut], it's no longer that difficult. I knew nothing of it until now."

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  The 25-year-old, whose name on Instagram reads Erling Braut Haaland, will debut this new change when Norway face Finland in a friendly on September 5, before taking on Moldova five days later in the team's next 2026 World Cup qualifier. This increase in letters means Haaland fans will have to fork out more money to buy this updated shirt.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Before the ex-Red Bull Salzburg star returns to play for his country next month, his City side travel to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday. He will hope to help Pep Guardiola's team return to winning ways after a 2-0 loss to Tottenham last weekend.

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O Palmeiras que ressignificou um apelido ofensivo e transformou o porco em um mascote, agora também pode dar um novo sentido ao termo ‘espírito de porco’. Isso porque hoje, poucos times no mundo possuem a alma que o Verdão coloca em campo.

Na vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o São Bernardo, que deu a classificação à semifinal do Paulistão ao clube alviverde, a equipe não foi tão bem tecnicamente, mas novamente impressionou pela entrega imposta nas quatro linhas.

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+Rony decide e Tabata sai aplaudido em vitória do Palmeiras nas quartas do Paulistão

O primeiro tempo foi de uma série de erros técnicos do Palestra, principalmente na parte defensiva. Muitos espaços dados aos atletas do Bernô que por pelo menos três vezes quase custaram caro na etapa inicial. Por outro lado, a maioria dos atletas se mostraram ligados desde o primeiro minuto.

E se alguns jogadores, como Dudu e Raphael Veiga, por exemplo, se mostraram abaixo em seus desempenhos na última noite, outros compensaram com entrega, o caso, por exemplo, de Bruno Tabata e Rony. No final, o saldo foi positivo em relação a aplicação.

+ Confira a tabela do Paulistão e simule os jogos das quartas de final

No caso de Tabata, ele não se deixou levar pela pressão de entrar no lugar do ‘pupilo’ Endrick, é mesmo muito questionado nas arquibancadas ‘virou o jogo’ e foi até mesmo aplaudido. Já Rony tem sido a personificação palmeirense não é de hoje. Ainda quando a partida estava empatada sem gols, o camisa 10, que atuou como centroavante, foi até o campo de defesa desarmar um adversário e matar uma chance que se desenhava clara para o São Bernardo.

No gol do jogo, o ‘Rústico’ teve inteligência para mais uma vez marcar de cabeça em um lance onde se posicionou bem entre os homens de defesa. Foi a sexta vez que ele foi às redes nesta temporada.

+ Confira as movimentações do Palmeiras no mercado da bola no vaivém do L!

Esses recortes individuais foram as mais gritantes representações do Palmeiras versão Abel Ferreira no triunfo contra o Bernô, mas não são os únicos. A forma com quem em cada setor do campo sempre há uma dividida, um carrinho, uma ação como forma de entrega, intriga a todos sobre o fato de que esse grupo de atletas tenha vencido quase tudo ano após ano.

É esse espírito de porco, colonizado em novo sentido por um treinador português, agora também pode ser definido quando um elenco dá o seu limite e o melhor que pode pelo objetivo coletivo. É o espírito de Abel Ferreira. É o espírito da Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras.