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Instantly recognisable retros to modern classics

With its association with warm weather, cup finals and far-flung tournaments, football in summer has a special feeling. Whether or not you’re celebrating a famous victory or not though, you can still show your colours during the summer months.

As the weather heats up, we’ve compiled some of the best football shirts to wear in summer, from cult classics to bestsellers to less well-known kits from across the world.

Shop: 20 best kits for summer

Italia ‘90 is remembered as one of the best tournaments, and that was especially true for England fans. A young Gazza had the world at his feet and helped inspire England to their first World Cup semi-finals since the glory of 1966. Arguably the main success story, though, was New Order’s which had arrived just before the tournament started and featured the now-iconic rap from John Barnes.

Throughout the video, New Order frontman Bernard Sumner wore England’s light blue third shirt. The jersey’s tonal diamond pattern and musical heritage cemented it as a cult classic, even if the England team rarely wore it.

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At the start of the 2021/22 season, Ajax and adidas decided to celebrate one of the club’s anthems, Bob Marley’s While it might seem like an incongruous choice, the song has been associated with Ajax since 2008, when it was played by a Cardiff City DJ after a friendly.

Designed to honour the fans’ enthusiasm for the song, Ajax released a black kit complete with Jamaica-inspired red, yellow and green detailing. Finishing off the design were three little birds on the back of the neck. Although UEFA forced Ajax to remove the three-bird motif, the shirt still sold out almost instantly.

Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, there was one kit that everyone was talking about. Nigeria’s shirt for the tournament featured a zig-zag pattern in light green and white across the chest, with a black and white version on the sleeves. Unsurprisingly, the shirt broke records – making it difficult to find nowadays – with 3 million pre-orders and a long queue outside Nike’s London store.

Nike clearly knew they were onto a winner and continued to reissue the shirt over the coming months and years. The brand even carried the design onto boots and trainers, while the shirt was also nominated for the Beazley Design of the Year award.

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Described as the “world’s coolest club,” Italian team Venezia launched their 2021/22 away kit to widespread praise before the last season. The design pays tribute to the city of Venice with a repeated triangle pattern inspired by the city’s tile mosaics.

The stand-out feature of the shirt, though, was the gradient-effect across the shirt. With a cream base acting as an understated background, the triangle motif shifted between Venezia’s orange, black and green colours as it moved across the shirt. Bellissimo.

GOAL takes a look at the situation in Italy, a country that has seen several young Americans arrive this summer

Over the past few years, the rising stars of the U.S. men's national team have been making their mark all over Europe. These young Americans have reached heights that their predecessors couldn't have even dreamed of, winning top trophies and competing in the world's top leagues.

This summer, though, several of the USMNT's key players were on the move. Club situations quickly change, although for some it wasn't quick enough. Coincidentally, and somewhat surprisingly, several of those players landed in a country that has been somewhat foreign to USMNT stars down the years: Italy.

Ladies and gentlemen of America, welcome to the US-erie-A!

Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will play for two of the country's most historic clubs this season as each look to continue their development on the road to the 2026 World Cup. And there's a chance that, by the end of this campaign, they won't be the only USMNT stars calling Serie A home.

So what's the deal heading into the 2023-24 season? GOAL has you covered…

GettyChristian Pulisic – AC Milan

It's been several years since we've seen the best version of Pulisic at club level. We've seen that version plenty of times with the USMNT but, with Chelsea, it was never on display consistently.

AC Milan, though, provide Pulisic with several things he hadn't had at Stamford Bridge for some time: confidence, stability and, most importantly, a little bit of hope.

Pulisic looks set to play a key role for Milan this season; that's why they brought him in, after all. The cynic would say that Milan see dollar signs off the field thanks to Pulisic's marketability, but the soccer minds in charge at San Siro see dollar signs on the field thanks to Pulisic's ability.

He's able to start on the left, right or centrally and already has a strong partnership with former team-mate and longtime friend Olivier Giroud. With Rafael Leao a fixture on the left, Pulisic is more likely to start as a No.10, replacing the departed Brahim Diaz, or on the right if Stefano Pioli doesn't turn to new signing Samuel Chukwueze.

For Pulisic, though, this move is key. He's joined another mega-club after falling out of favor at his previous one. The chaos at Chelsea gave him some deniability when it comes to his struggles, but he won't get the benefit of the doubt at Milan.

The Serie A giants, though, are seemingly a good home for Pulisic, who will look to help Milan return to the top of the league after winning the Scudetto two seasons ago.

AdvertisementGettyYunus Musah – AC Milan

The other American at Milan, Musah made the decision to finally leave struggling Valencia this summer. He spent parts of his childhood in Italy, so there won't be much of an adjustment period off the field, but on the field, there's much to learn.

Musah, despite his status as a starter with the USMNT, is still a fairly raw prospect. He's very good, as evidenced by his performances at the World Cup, but there's still plenty of refining to do.

Milan is the club tasked with that process, and they represent a team that is a step up from Valencia, but not an irresponsible one. There is a legitimate path to playing time for Musah, but it's far from guaranteed.

The club also signed Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders this summer, while Tommas Pobega and Rade Krunic join the injured Ismael Bennacer as holdovers from the club. Milan, though, will be dealing with the loss of Sandro Tonali, which is has prompted this midfield rebuild.

Musah will be one piece of that rebuild, but he could become a key piece. As a No.8, he is already a fantastic ball-progressor who can start as a right-sided midfielder in a 4-3-3. He could also play as a No.6, although his defensive instincts are still being refined.

Unlike Pulisic, Musah may not jump right into Pioli's starting XI due to the other options in the midfield, but his development will definitely be key for both Milan and the USMNT in the years to come.

GettyTimothy Weah – Juventus

Juan Cuadrado is gone, Weah is in. There's very little mystery about what that'll mean.

Weah has been brought in to replace the Colombian, who ended a fairly legendary stint with the club this summer. That means Weah will take up a role at wingback – one that isn't that unfamiliar after last season.

The American played chunks of 2022-23 as a left and right wingback at Lille, looking more than comfortable in those spots. At the USMNT level, Weah remains a winger, at least for now, but that can obviously change depending on how he develops as a defender.

It'll be an interesting year for Juventus, who aren't in Europe thanks to their point deduction last season due to a now-infamous financial scandal. The focus this season will be rebuilding and retooling as the club looks to move into a new era after last season's frustrations.

Weah can be part of that new era as the 23-year-old American steps into the league his legendary father, George, became a star in.

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GettyWeston McKennie – Juventus

McKennie's future is still somewhat uncertain, and it will be right up until the transfer window shuts. That's only natural after what happened last season.

Having fallen out of the picture at Juve, McKennie was loaned to Leeds for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign. What happened at Leeds was, to put it lightly, a disaster. McKennie will be glad his time there is over.

The question is what becomes of this next era. With Juventus lacking a bit financially, is this an opportunity for him to stay and prove his worth to the club? Or, at some point before the window closes, will Juve decide to cash in on a player that doesn't seem to really be part of the club's long-term plan?

Reports say that it'll be the former, as it seems Massimiliano Allegri could use McKennie in the midfield. This will be a big chance, then, for him to prove he can stay at this level.

If he doesn't remain, though, there'll be no shortage of suitors, as Aston Villa, Roma and Borussia Dortmund have all been linked. For McKennie, the start of the season is very much a case of 'wait and see'.

After reaching four successive tournament finals, the Dutchwoman has been linked with a number of top jobs in the men's game

England head coach Sarina Wiegman has long been a history-maker and a record-breaker. Whether in her playing days, during which she became the first Dutch footballer to reach 100 caps, or in her managerial career, which has seen her lead both the women’s teams of the Netherlands and England to their first major tournament triumphs, Wiegman’s incredible achievements have so often been significant milestones. But, as she led England to a first Women’s World Cup final earlier this year, rumours began to swirl of another first, one of an entirely different nature.

No men's international team has ever offered a job to a female coach but, in the build-up to that final, Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the Football Association (FA), said that he believed Wiegman “could do anything she wants in football” when asked if she could be a contender to replace Gareth Southgate, the head coach of the men’s team, in the future.

A few days later, it became evident that the English FA was not the only federation thinking in that manner. A report from said that Wiegman was also being considered in the Netherlands, her home country, to coach the men’s national team.

Having carved out a reputation as one of the best managers in the women’s game, winning the last two European Championship titles and reaching the last two World Cup finals, in some ways it’s no surprise that Wiegman is being linked with such historic appointments in huge jobs. U.S. Soccer is also rumoured to be an admirer of the Dutchwoman as it searches for a replacement for Vlatko Andonovski, who left his post as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team after a dismal World Cup campaign.

But in the men’s game, cases of female coaches are few and far between. If England’s record-breaking leader was to become the latest one, it would certainly be the most high-profile instance to date.

GettyA man’s world

While women’s football has grown massively in recent years, there is still a very small female presence in the men’s game. Female officials, physios and technical staff remain in small numbers, despite that not being the case for men in the women’s game.

In terms of coaches, you have to drop to the 10th tier of the men’s football pyramid in England to find a female manager. At the professional level, every single team is led by a man. Of course, that’s not a massive surprise given that the number of women in coaching remains small in comparison to the number of men, simply because the sport has historically been more welcoming for men than women.

As that begins to change, the hope is that there will be more women coming into the men’s game – in academies, as part of first-team staff and more. Diversity is always positive. It brings different styles, ideas and skills to the table. And as someone like Wiegman has shown, there are some truly excellent female coaches out there.

AdvertisementGetty Images'A stepping stone'

But despite successful female coaches in the women’s game not yet taking up high-profile roles in men’s football, there have been several examples when it comes to male coaches doing so. John Herdman spent seven years in charge of Canada's women's team before being named the head coach of the men's team in 2018. After five years in that job, which saw him guide the North American nation to a first-ever appearance at a men's World Cup, Herdman left to take charge of MLS team Toronto FC just last month.

Phil Neville, meanwhile, had no experience in women’s football when he was appointed the head coach of England’s women’s national team in early 2018. Three years later, he would secure the job as head coach of MLS side Inter Miami.

A few months after it was announced that Neville was to leave the England role, the former Manchester United defender came in for plenty of criticism for comments in which he described the role as essentially a stepping stone to club football. "The fact that you can come out and say you were using our national team as a stepping stone, that disappointed me," Fara Williams, England's most capped footballer, told . "I just think it shows a little lack of respect for our game, and where it was and where we are trying to get it to."

GettyAn 'insult' to women's football

That idea of the women's game being a step towards the bigger honour of managing in the men's game has sadly come up a few times. In recent years, the name of Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has regularly been mentioned when there have been vacancies in men's football. Hayes has transformed Chelsea into the dominant force in English women’s football, winning 15 trophies since joining the club in 2012.

In early 2021, she was linked with the job at AFC Wimbledon, a club third-from-bottom in League One, the third tier of English men's football. In a press conference, it was put to her that there had been talk of a step up to the men’s game, which she wasted no time in shutting down.

“Women's football is not a step down from anything,” Hayes said. "Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder, Beth England, Magda Eriksson, Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde – do you want me to keep going? These are world-class players. It's an insult to them that we talk about women's football being a step down, with the dedication and the commitment and the quality they have.

"When the football world is ready to adhere to the diversity codes, so that BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities, plus women, get the opportunities in football, then I’ll see that as a step forward," she added. "This is not a conversation about Emma Hayes and AFC Wimbledon, but we should be having larger conversations around creating opportunities across the diverse spectrum so that opportunities in the men’s game are not limited to those in privileged positions."

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GettySlowly but surely

It’s a huge positive that Hayes and Wiegman have been linked with these jobs. It shows that their quality is being recognised. There is nothing insulting about someone thinking you would be a good coach.

It’s positive, too, that someone like Lydia Bedford, the former head coach of Leicester City’s women’s team and part of the coaching staff at Arsenal, has recently moved into the academy set-up at Brentford, coaching the Under-18 men's team.

Hannah Dingley's appointment as the caretaker manager of League Two club Forest Green Rovers, meanwhile, attracted a lot of attention – some unwanted – when she became the first and only woman to have been in charge of a professional men's team in English football in July. Even though she didn’t get the permanent role, it shone a light on her achievements as the first woman to coach a men's academy team in England.

“It frustrates me that female coaches might think the female game might be their only opportunity in the game,” Dingley told in 2021. “There are lots of opportunities in the men’s game, academy football is massive. I was told I got the job because I was the best person for it.”

The more cases like this, the more that aspiring female coaches can see that there is a path for them into men’s football as well as women’s football. It means there are more opportunities for them to get to where they want to be and more avenues to take. Given how long football has been seen as a man’s game, though, it will take time for a significant increase in gender diversity to become apparent.

Chicharito has quite a unique fleet of luxury cars at his disposal.

Javier Hernandez, more famously known by his nickname Chicharito, is one of the greatest Mexican players of all-time as he is the leading goal scorer for with 52 goals.

He first shot to limelight during his stint at Manchester United, where he became a reliable super sub and once had the best goals per minute ratio in the Premier League.

Then, he signed for Real Madrid on a season-long loan in 2014 and scored nine goals in 33 appearances for Los Blancos.

In the more recent years, he has played for Sevilla, West Ham, and Bayer Leverkusen. Now, though, he is plying his trade for LA Galaxy in the MLS and is one of the highest earners in the league, earning a whopping $6 million annually.

Which cars does the mercurial Mexican own? GOAL takes a look…

Audi Q7 | $55,000 / €52,250 / £45,100

When Chicharito arrived at Real Madrid, the club gifted him an Audi due to their partnership with the German automobile company at the time. The 3.0 Liter Supercharged V6 engine that powers the 2014 Audi Q7 is available in Premium and Premium Plus trim levels. It is able to generate 280 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in under 7.7 seconds. The Audi Q7 Premium is only capable of 233 kmph (145 mph) at its top speed.

AdvertisementChevrolet Corvette C6 | $140,000 / €133,000 / £114,800

Chicharito owned a stunning C6 Corvette when he was at Manchester United since Chevrolet were the primary sponsors of the Red Devils back then. The standard engine is a 6.2L V8 with 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque. The same engine also produces 436 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque when the dual-mode exhaust is used, if more power is needed. By default, the engine is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, however a 6-speed automatic transmission is also offered. The Corvette has a top speed of 277 kmph (172 mph) and accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.5 seconds.

Overfinch Range Rover Vogue | NA

While Chicharito was playing for the Red Devils, he parked his Range Rover Vogue with the Overfinch mod in the middle of a Manchester street which resulted in him getting a parking ticket.

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Aston Martin DB9 | $185,000 / €175,750 / £151,700

Chicharito owns a midsize coupe in the form of the Aston Martin DB9, which he bought in 2014. A 5.9L V12 engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission that generates 510 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque are available options. It has a top speed of 311 kmph (193 mph) and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.6 seconds.

Jude Bellingham continues to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, with the Englishman matching another goal record.

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England international making immediate impactJoined for big money from DortmundKeeping pace with Portuguese superstarWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old midfielder has made an immediate impact at Santiago Bernabeu on the back of his €103 million (£89m/$108m) summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund. He hit the ground running in Spanish football, with the target found on five occasions through his first four La Liga appearances.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That feat has only previously been managed by Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, and Bellingham is keeping up with the pace set by Real’s all-time leading scorer. He was on target again during Los Blancos’ latest fixture against Girona.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bellingham is now up to six goals in the Spanish top flight from just seven games. That is the same return that five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo managed during his debut campaign with Real back in 2009-10. No player has posted a better record for the club in the 21st century.

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ruud van Nistelrooy hit four in seven when joining Madrid, while Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Brazilian legend Ronaldo all managed three goals. Bellingham has also netted in the Champions League this season, meaning that he has seven efforts in total through eight outings in all competitions.

Marcus Rashford has hit out at those spreading “malicious rumours” regarding his future at Manchester United.

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New contract signed over the summerDeal at Old Trafford runs until 2028Questions asked of future amid poor formWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international forward only signed a new contract with the Red Devils back in July, with those terms set to keep him at Old Trafford until 2028. Questions are, however, already been asked of whether said deal will be honoured.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That is because Rashford, who hit 30 goals last season for the first time in his career, has struggled for form in the 2023-24 campaign. After posting personal bests in 2022-23, the 26-year-old has found the target on just one occasion this term through 14 appearances.

WHAT THEY SAID

That has led some to speculate that his days at United may be numbered, with Erik ten Hag desperate to find a reliable source of attacking inspiration in his underperforming squad, but Rashford has addressed the gossip by responding to a report from The United Stand by saying: “Please STOP spreading malicious rumours.”

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rashford has spent his entire career to date with United, as a product of their famed academy system, and has now taken in 373 appearances for the Premier League giants. He has hit 124 goals, but will need no reminding of the fact that his standards have dipped again in the current campaign.

The PSG star failed to make an impact, but Arsenal's main man was as effective as ever at the back

Kylian Mbappe was given 30 minutes to turn things around for France, but couldn't change the game in a timid cameo, as Les Bleus were forced to settle for a draw against an expansive Greece side. Didier Deschamps' men took the lead, but swiftly surrendered it in the second half, and didn't deserve more than a 2-2 draw despite William Saliba's solid efforts at the back.

Antoine Griezmann came close after 33 minutes, scuffing an effort off the post with the goal gaping. Kolo Muani made no such mistake when afforded a chance right before the break, latching onto Griezmann's through ball and lashing a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Greece bagged an unlikely equaliser after 55 minutes. Tasos Bakasetas provided it, catching a volley from outside the box that proved unstoppable for reserve goalie Brice Samba. They snatched a second shortly after, Fotis Ioannidis completing a sweeping team move with a tidy finish. But France had a response, with Monaco's Youssouf Fofana lashing in a long-range effort to level the game.

Les Bleus were handed one last chance to win it late on, but Kingsley Coman's spinning dink across the box flicked off the post and somehow avoided a number of swinging legs to seal an ultimately-fair point for either side.

GOAL rates France's players from the Agia Sofia Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Brice Samba (6/10):

Couldn't do anything about either goal. Won't ever have the No.1 shirt, but didn't exactly slip up.

Jules Kounde (5/10):

Skinned for the Greece second, and unconvincing going forward. Doesn't seem to fit in as a centre-back or right-back when his side plays with a back four.

William Saliba (8/10):

Some nice defensive work halted a few Greece counter-attacks. Probably deserves to be a starting centre-back for this side.

Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

A bit shaky for the most part. Moved the ball well, but was often outmuscled by Greece's physical attacking duo.

Theo Hernandez (6/10):

Direct on the left, and moved the ball well. Beaten in individual duals on a few occasions.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Adrien Rabiot (5/10):

Did a lot of running around, and was on the ball consistently. But he didn't do much other than dump it off to Griezmann. A truly puzzling player.

Youssouf Fofana (7/10):

Did all of his defensive work well. Bashed an equaliser in with 20 minutes remaining. Far behind others in the pecking order, but a performance that suggested he could be in the squad come the summer.

Antoine Griezmann (6/10):

Played in his 84th straight international game. Missed a sitter in the first half and never really got out of second gear — even if he did orchestrate things well.

Getty ImagesAttack

Ousmane Dembele (6/10):

Lots of pretty turns and sharp cuts. Made a few defenders look silly. Wasteful in crucial areas, though.

Olivier Giroud (5/10):

Assisted Kolo Muani's opener with a delightful flick. Didn't see much of the ball, otherwise.

Randal Kolo Muani (7/10):

Bagged his second goal for Les Bleus, and in emphatic style, too. Some of his runs were dangerous. Another showing to stake his claim for more playing time.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

As dangerous as expected around the 18-yard box. Missed a free header, wacked one off the bar. Not the hero this time.

Jonathan Clauss (6/10):

Didn't do much in a 30-minute showing.

Kingsley Coman (6/10):

Offered reliable service from the right wing after he came on.

Marcus Thuram (6/10):

A solid central presence, more mobile than Giroud.

Axel Disasi (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Didier Deschamps (5/10):

Selected an understandably weakened lineup, leaving out Mbappe while giving Samba and Saliba a chance to impress. His side performed well in the first half, but were outgunned after the break. Didn't deserve anything more than a point, which will be frustrating.

The sound of the Champions League music ringing out excites supporters around the world, so imagine what it must be like to hear it from on the field!

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Magpies back in the big time after 20-year absenceHanded the toughest of group stage drawsLoving every minute of time among Europe's eliteWHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Newcastle United are getting a taste of what that is like in 2023-24, with the Magpies returning to elite European competition for the first time in 20 years. Unsurprisingly, there have been plenty of smiles on show while gracing the most prestigious of sporting stages, with a video of Jacob Murphy taking everything in ahead of a meeting with AC Milan on Matchday One going viral – as he looked like a child on Christmas Day.

AdvertisementWHAT WAS GOING THROUGH MURPHY’S HEAD?

Speaking in association with , Murphy told GOAL when asked what was going through his head as the famous anthem echoed around the iconic San Siro: “It was taking in the whole experience. I was surprised at how quickly the music came on! We stand in the line and then the music shoots on straight away. It was that goosebump moment. It was the realisation that I did it, I’m playing at the pinnacle of club football in the Champions League. It was our first game as a club back in the Champions League after over two decades and I was one of the players selected to represent the club in that first game. Huge sense of pride and part of my journey. It was amazing, just to take it in and enjoy the moment because that was my first start in the Champions League and I wanted to really remember it and take in everything that was going on."

WHY IS THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MUSIC SO SPECIAL?

Pressed further on why the Champions League music is so special, with several players having spoken of its importance to them down the years, Murphy added: “It’s not just the game itself, it’s everything. Everything to do with the competition – the advertising around the pitch, how professionally done everything is, it’s elite. That’s the best way to describe it. There is a lot going on around it and it’s nice to be in the heart of it.”

He added on Newcastle creating memories that will last a lifetime: “It’s cliche that we all want to play at the top level and stuff like that, but for a lot of us it was probably something that we didn’t think was going to happen – playing Champions League football. But the new owners came in, then Eddie [Howe] came and that’s when everyone really began to dream again. That’s the big thing, we’re dreaming again and these dreams from when we were younger might have faded, might have thought that’s probably not going to be reality, but everyone began to believe – the club, the fan base. It’s come together really nicely.”

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STATSportsWHERE DID NEWCASTLE PLAYERS WATCH THE DRAW?

The group stage draw for the 2023-24 Champions League took place on August 31. Newcastle were placed into the so-called ‘Group of Death’ alongside Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund. Howe’s squad thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, though, with Murphy saying of where players and staff watched the draw from: “We were at the training ground. We had a special event put on for us. It was fantastic – we had all the players and their families, coaching staff and all of the ground staff from the training ground, physios, chefs and everyone in the catering department, cleaners, groundsmen and all their families. Everyone watched it together, with a lot of activities going on and a big screen to watch the draw. That was a special moment for everyone involved in the achievement, to all be together and take it in. To get the draw, we were buzzing. It was a tough draw, but we’re in the Champions League now. An easy group would be nice, but you want those iconic teams. You want to play in huge games and really leave a mark. Because we were in Pot 4, we always knew that we were going to have a tough ride. To have that calibre of opposition, I think it worked out for the best. It’s really good that we’re testing ourselves against the elite. It stands us in good stead to show where we are in our journey, how we can go up against the so-called big boys in European football.”

Tottenham are hit with another injury blow as Rodrigo Bentancur has been reportedly ruled out for three months following a poor Matty Cash tackle.

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Bentancur was forced off against Aston VillaWas at the receiving end of a harsh tackle from CashSuspected ligament tear in ankle WHAT HAPPENED?

The 26-year-old lasted only 26 minutes during Tottenham's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in what was his first start following a serious injury that had kept him out for eight months. But a rough challenge from Cash took him down and even after getting on-field treatment the midfielder could not continue which forced Ange Postecoglou to take him off.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to Bentancur is now set for another lengthy spell in the treatment room as he has damaged his ankle ligament. The recovery could take at least two-and-a-half months which means that he will be out of action until February 2024.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bentancur joins a long list of players in rehab which includes James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and Cristian Romero. Postecoglou's problems will be further multiplied in January as Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr will leave for international duty for Mali and Senegal respectively for the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, skipper Son Heung-min will be vying for Asian Cup glory with South Korea during the same window.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

Postecoglou has his task cut out as Spurs will be up against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the Etihad next Sunday in the Premier League. It has been a torrid November for the north London outfit as they have suffered three consecutive defeats in the league which has pushed them to the fifth spot in the standings. And taking on City will be another test of their character!

Inter Miami have reportedly backed out of a January preseason friendly with Flamengo in favor of a match in the 'Middle East.'

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Report says Miami cancels Flamengo friendlyHerons accept Middle East proposal instead'Last Dance' between Messi & Ronaldo could be back onWHAT HAPPENED?

Globo claim that the Herons are moving fast with their preseason plans. Despite previous uncertainty over whether or not Inter Miami would entertain friendly offers with Saudi Pro League clubs, it appears that the David Beckham-led club will now be flying across the world ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign. Flamengo, meanwhile, are scheduling a January contest with fellow Florida MLS side Orlando City following the apparent cancellation of their previously-arranged game.

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Inter Miami have denied the agreement of any friendly against Al-Nassr after it was claimed that Miami would participate in a three-team tournament alongside Ronaldo's side and Al-Hilal. It now appears that the match could be back on.

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Messi and Ronaldo have clashed a total of 36 times over their storied careers, with their first meeting coming in 2008. The Argentine leads the way between the two with 16 wins to Ronaldo's 11.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

The club is currently in offseason mode, with the players enjoying their time away from the pitch while looking ahead to preseason in 2024. Although the schedule is not confirmed, it seems as though the Herons are looking to be ambitious ahead of their next campaign, with high-profile friendlies like these populating the rumor mill. Regardless of what happens, it's an important few months for Tata Martino and Co as they look to build on their Leagues Cup success.