Having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season there were high hopes, indeed expectations, that Arsenal could mount a serious challenge for the trophy this year. Arsenal had adjusted to the new league system very effectively last season and comfortably qualified in the top eight places in third place. In theory, the higher a team finished, future progress would be more facilitated in the draw but, last season, Liverpool were drawn against PSG in the last 16 after finishing first in the expanded league group so there was still a random element to the system!
Arsenal set out on their 2025-6 European journey with a visit to Athletic Bilbao, a testing start but one that we coped with comfortably. It took until the 72nd minute for Arsenal to break through. Gabriel Martinelli scored then Trossard secured victory with a few minutes to go. A shut-out with an excellent defensive performance illustrated how well-placed Arsenal were to go deep into the competition.
Our first home game was against Olympiacos and although an early Martinelli goal set Arsenal on their way a quite remarkable save by Raya from Podence was necessary to preserve the lead and the game was not wrapped up until Saka scored in injury time.
One of the glamour games in the first eight matches in the expanded league was a home match against Atletico Madrid, a seasoned European campaigner, managed by the notorious Simeone and a side expected to pose significant problems for Arsenal. Apart from a spectacular effort by Alvarez early in the second half which rebounded off the woodwork, Arsenal picked off Atletico with ease after the interval. Gabriel headed in an excellent Rice free kick, a superb Lewis- Skelly run set up Martinelli for a second and Gyökeres then poached two close-range goals to complete an impressive victory.
Arsenal then travelled to Prague to take on Slavia and benefited from a VAR intervention to give them a penalty which Saka converted. Merino carried on a very helpful club habit of scoring immediately after the interval with a slick finish and added a third goal, with a header, twenty minutes from time.
Arsenal had a 100% record but faced their most significant challenge in the next game against Bayern Munich at home. Harry Kane returned to his usual warm welcome at the Emirates but this time was not awarded a penalty as he usually is when he visits. Hincapié was deputising for Gabriel at centre back, and he did so very capably, while the team carried enormous momentum into the game, having thrashed Tottenham a few days before.
Timber gave Arsenal the lead from a corner but a superb and very direct counter from Bayern saw the young prodigy Karl equalise. Arsenal’s second half performance was even more impressive than we had seen against Tottenham. Calafiori produced a superb overlap and cross which substitute Madueke turned in for his first Arsenal goal and a great long pass from Eze drew Neuer from his goal only for Martinelli to race around him and turn the ball home. This was a real statement victory. On my way back to my hotel in Marylebone after the match, I hopped into a taxi. The driver noted my scarf and had also been at the game. “F***ing hell mate, I’m just starting to realise how good we are!” was his prescient comment. Ahead of the game, Bayern were reckoned to be the big threat to PSG but they were put firmly in their place by Arsenal that evening, and Kane spent the match firmly confined within Saliba’s pocket .
Arsenal had soared into the upper reaches of the Champions League table and were close to qualification for the last sixteen before they played FC Brugge in mid- December. Arteta rotated the team significantly but Arsenal still comfortably took care of the Belgians. The Gunners were set on their way by a spectacular effort from Madueke who then added a second just after the interval with a header. Martinelli, who was having a barren time in domestic football, continued his European scoring streak with a goal in the 56th minute for another solid 3-0 victory.
The Inter Milan away game loomed as a serious challenge, especially as Arsenal had suffered their first defeat in the previous campaign in very unfortunate circumstances at the San Siro. Arsenal were able to rotate the side significantly but still won with a very professional performance. Jesùs opened the scoring but Sucic hit a spectacular equaliser only for those physical monsters Trossard and Jesùs to combine to give Arsenal the lead from a corner. Arsenal then coped comfortably with the Inter attack and substitute Gyökeres banged in a long distance effort to clinch a 3-1 victory.
Arsenal’s final game in the league phase was a home fixture against Kazakhstan’s finest, Kairat Almaty, who were lying at the bottom of the 32 team league. When Gyökeres scored early on, Arsenal fans expected a rout but we then conceded a penalty which Jorginho (no, not that one) converted. Havertz and Martinelli put us into a 3-1 lead but to their credit Kairat kept going to the end, and Ricardinho scored a goal in the last minute to suggest a game that was much closer than had actually been the case!
We had qualified top in the league with a 100% record, had conceded only two goals and this proved very significant in helping us to navigate through the knockout stages. We entered the competition again at the last 16 stage and were able to play our home legs as the second match for the rest of the competition.
Our first opponents in the knockout phase were Bayer Leverkusen. There was no repeat of the 7-1 away victory we had achieved against PSV last season and we struggled in Germany lacking our normal control and fluency and conceding from a corner which Andrich headed in just after half-time. It was a goal from the Arsenal playbook and our response was a long time coming. Eventually an enterprising run from Madueke was met with a heavy challenge and the referee adjudged that it was a penalty. Later in the competition, a very similar situation did not have such a happy outcome. Havertz coolly slotted home the penalty and we gained a rather fortuitous draw.
In the home leg, we gave a controlled performance sparked by a quite superb strike by Eze midway through the first half. Rice clinched victory in the second half, with another fine finish following a corner. We then shut Leverkusen down very effectively and were able to move smoothly into the quarter finals .
We met Sporting Lisbon whom we had thrashed last season when Viktor Gyökeres was their main striker. The away leg in Lisbon was cagey but a beautiful combination between Martinelli and Havertz enabled the German to finish elegantly to give us a priceless 1-0 lead. The second leg was closer than most Arsenal fans had anticipated. Sporting rarely threatened but neither did we and a fairly sterile game ended 0-0.
Our semi-final opponents were expected to be Barcelona, but they had been upset at home by Atletico Madrid, and Atletico prevailed after a tense second leg. Arsenal played a textbook European away leg in the first half in Madrid and were awarded a penalty which Gyökeres blasted home. In the second half, Atletico improved and White was penalised for the sort of handball that is punished in European games. Alvarez equalised but Arsenal’s defence held firm thereafter and it finished 1-1 .The second leg was tense and the highly charged atmosphere seemed to lift Arsenal who scored a precious goal just before the interval when Saka turned the ball home after Oblak had parried a Trossard effort. Arsenal showed all their European knowhow to preserve their lead in a tense second half, Simeone came to blows on the touchline but what’s new?! When the final whistle blew we saw huge rejoicing around the Emirates. We were off to Budapest!
Bayern and PSG had played a remarkable, high scoring semi-final first leg but PSG were much more pragmatic in the second leg and advanced after a 1-1 draw.
Our final with PSG was played in Budapest and despite a huge exodus of Arsenal fans only 16,000 tickets were available through the club although it was estimated that we occupied three quarters of the stadium. Havertz gave Arsenal a dream start with a fine breakaway goal, after only six minutes with a shot that he rifled into the roof of the net at the keeper’s near post. Despite overwhelming PSG possession the French side made very few chances in the first half.
Kvaratskelia had been the player we most feared but he was generally beautifully played by Mosquera, starting in place of Timber ….. until the 63rd minute, when he mistimed a tackle in the box and Dembele despatched the penalty. An attritional game moved into extra-time and Madueke was clumsily challenged by Mendes but the referee who had made few friends in North London, waved away Arsenal’s claims. It looked every bit as much a penalty as the one we gained in Leverkusen. Barcola hit the post with virtually the last kick of the match but we moved on to penalties. Eze missed Arsenal’s second after Gyökeres had scored. Raya then saved from Mendes and Rice and Martinelli scored. However, Gabriel blazed Arsenal’s fifth penalty over and the Champions League belonged to PSG for a second consecutive year.
Football judgments are very binary and Arsenal have alarmed a lot of rival clubs and their fans this year. A lot of the negativity towards us is borne of fear. Arteta has turned them from a club with no worthwhile recent European pedigree to a serious challenger for the Champions League in three years. In those three years, Arsenal have narrowly lost to Bayern in the quarter final in 2024, made the semi finals against PSG in 2025 (having already beaten them in the league stage) and lost two tight games whilst recording a significantly higher xG than PSG. This year’s version of Arsenal is a much more streetwise and resilient outfit. Ironically having not conceded a single penalty in 38 league matches, Arsenal gave away three (all scored) in the Champions League in 15 matches ….. and their ultimate fate was decided by penalties in that fateful shootout . Two of those conceded would have been unlikely to have been given in the Premier League but the penalty at Leverkusen was debatable (I thought it was a penalty) and I believe Madueke was fouled in the box during extra time in the final.
To come so close to such a big prize and to see it slip away is very hard to take but this Arsenal side is made of very stern stuff and this type of experience may harden their resolve even more . We have come very close to the League title three times and eventually clinched that prize. Let that be the case with the Cup with Big Ears. As a very determined young man once said, “This is not done!”
Just tried to post this in the last bar but got locked out. So, absolutely nothing to do with our European campaign, here’s some WC thoughts…
On a purely sporting note, I am less excited about the WC than ever before. It is too big. There are too many games. And too many teams who are not at the required level. There will be drinks breaks so Americans can sell advertising (not something FIFA permitted when the WC was played in an actual desert!). It only took watching the CL final to establish how crappy a development that is from a ‘flow of the game’ perspective. I’ll ignore whatever nonsense they do at half time, so that shouldn’t affect me at any rate.
Like Countryman, I enjoyed the England game last night and will watch our matches.
If I drum up all the enthusiasm i can muster, then i suppose I’ll be keen to see which teams and players surprise us and catch the imagination. I expect I will be excited to watch the knockout stages where (after far too many matches) there is finally some jeopardy for any of the teams who might be realistic winners. That’s kinda the point of the whole enterprise, and will be sadly missing from the first half of the tournament. 48 teams is too many to track. Playing group stages just to knock out 16 is ridiculous. The tournament will start fuzzy. It’s only after a few weeks that it will come into focus. FIFA have got this wrong. At a WC, every game should matter.
So, frankly, I’m still waiting to become genuinely interested, hoping the actual football will spark some passion. Right now, I don’t really care. Which is a shame.
Cheers TTG. It’s a shame that by the time we played QSG we were no longer the team that dispatched Bayern. At that point we were just so good, I think we’d have played them off the park.
Still, it was an excellent campaign and we will have another crack at it next year.
That was a fine wrap-up of your trilogy, TTG. As you indicate, we were not that far away from being back-to-back CL champions and favourites for a three-peat next season. That is down to the transformation that Arteta has wrought.
Thanks TTG, a fine finale and an encouraging final paragraph.
I thought we were clearly the best team in Europe during the qualifying
stages but then I’d thought the same about Liverpool the season before.
Both sides had a tougher time after the PL winter slog and it’s to our credit
that we didnt go the same way as Liverpool in the knockout stages.
Hopefully we can strengthen the squad this summer and go again.
I am already looking forward to it!
OM@4: This coming season, more than any, the PL needs to take a winter break. The top stars will come back knackered after the World Cup and probably be pushed back into service too early. There is a high risk of a lot of broken bodies come the pointy end of next season without some strategic rest. It is probably not in the best interests of the PL to have its best teams fizzle out in the later stages of the European competitions from sheer exhaustion.
Also, I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: how the fixture list breaks is going to have a massive influence on the league next season. Who gets a tough early schedule to be undertaken without their World Cup stars is going to drop valuable points.
GSD@1: Those 16 teams that will be eliminated by the group stage are probably 16 that wouldn’t have made it to the finals in a 32-team format, but will be 16 more votes for Infantino to bank in his re-election campaign.
Ned@5. I think you’re right about the Winter break but I don’t think it will happen. And you’re definitely right about the fixture list being massive next year, but I’m not sure it is easy to predict how. For example, if we get City away in the first fixture, it is very hard to know which team would be more prepared. The early ‘tough’ fixtures might not be against direct rivals but the teams that have had most of their players together for preseason. It’s gonna add more randomness onto proceedings though, which can’t be good for us.
Ned@6 Exactly that.
@5 GSD has already covered my thoughts on the winter break – should but won’t.
The PL clubs in Europe might vote for a winter break, and would be concerned about the
later stages of the season, but then it’s quite possible the ‘smaller’ clubs may see it as an advantage that the others are getting absolutely knackered by about March. Every point may count for the Spuds at the end of the season……
A fine summary of our European adventure that came within a penalty kick of bearing fruit and a fitting climax to your excellent trilogy. Tanto di cappello!
The competitiveness of every game in the PL is a massive handicap for English clubs in this competition. We certainly lost our edge and energy in the latter stages of theCL. We’ve already discussed how QSG have the luxury of resting their stars throughout the season, several of whom played a mere handful of league games all season and all of whom had a two week rest while we were wrapping up our league title. Qatar stole the last World Cup, hiring some migrant footballers to represent them and will never again appear in the WC Finals, but their national team is that collection of wage slaves (with talent) playing (now and again) in Paris and bearing the letters Q,A,T,A and R on their chests. The CL is the only competition that matters to them as the domestic trophies are a gimmeee. The CL is Qatar’s World Cup. Meanwhile one of their Sheiks has inveigled himself into chairmanship of an influential UEFA committee. UEFA and its premier competition are playthings of that despicable state.
Last night showed that even in a warm up game against minnows, Declan Rice gives 100%. The boy is going to be absolutely knackered if England, as I expect, go deep into the tournament though Tuchel does seem to be aware of the need to spare his ‘horses’ through judicious rotation. Part of me hopes all the nations that our 15 participants have joined fail to get out of their groups and they get a longer summer break than that from which I expect them to benefit.
Negative as I am about a Trump/ Infantino sponsored World Cup I do think we need to remember that for our players taking part this will be a career highlight and tge experience may well expand their playing horizons and increase their playing potential. A lot of major sides in England and elsewhere are saturated with players who will survive deep into the World Cup and although we will undoubtedly suffer injuries as a result so will other teams .
I enjoyed last night’s England game more than I expected to . While I thought Costa Rica were very limited and hugely physical , we played some very impressive pressing football. It won’t be easy to maintain that in the heat and humidity and we saw also that a huge number of games will be interrupted by thunderstorms. Another reason why this World Cup should be in another part of the world .
Thanks TTG for a fine recollection of our European exploits this season. It’s encouraging to seethe progress these past 3 years and there is every chance we can finally win Big Ears in the forthcoming season. We certainly can feel confident we can match the best that Europe can offer, particularly if the player recruitment is as successful as last year.
When it comes to avoiding overuse of his players early on, I’m sure Tuchel is acting in his own self-interest, which is fair enough, but he has managed in the Premier League and will know how drained the top clubs’ players are at the end of a season.
By all accounts, he was also taken aback by the impact of the heat and travel on players at last summer’s Club World Cup, when he was out there conducting a recce for England. And that tournament lasted only four weeks, not the seven of this World Cup.
He apparently returned from that tournament convinced that the country which best managed those stresses, including keeping a squad of 26 alpha-male athletes not only injury-free and at peak fitness but also from tearing each other apart over the seven weeks they would be confined in the England camp, would have an advantage, perhaps a decisive one, this summer.
In that light, his squad selection and his approach in pre-tournament friendlies, both to acclimaise his players to the conditions they will face and to familiarise them with plug-in-and-play roles so they can be switched in and out of the team as circumstances dictate without disrupting the game plan, make a lot of sense.
“ Football judgments are very binary and Arsenal have alarmed a lot of rival clubs and their fans this year. A lot of the negativity towards us is borne of fear. ”
Exactly this, TTG. Also a defence mechanism to obfuscate the fact that we have found away to best the, ahem, creative accountancy deployed by the owners of a formerly done little, won little no mark club. For next season, I would rather like us to appropriate a song by another club with south London heritage. No one likes us, We don’t care.
Ciao ragazzi!
Parto per l’Italia.
Thanks once again, TTG – you have developed these summaries into an art form. Very enjoyable read aerogel a perfect amount of detail. What GSD said about the World Cup International Vote Accumulation System.
Trump really needed to pull all the stops out to rival Qatar for unsuitability to host a World Cup but he’s come up, er, trumps and managed to do just that. I wish someone would pull all his stops out and we could watch him fizzle out over the Pacific like a holed balloon.
Safe travels, Bath.
TTG has just informed me that Thomas Partey has been refused entry to Canada. More details in this piece in The Athletic.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7354492/2026/06/12/thomas-partey-banned-canada-ghana-world-cup/
Yeah, the Partey story is in The Guardian now. It’s free to read there so I will attach the link, it just says the same thing as The Athletic story in less detail.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/12/thomas-partey-ghana-world-cup-visa-application-to-canada-refused
Even the BBC has caught up:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cn8qgny4186o
US immigration authorities were happy to let him into the US, however.
@20 it’s almost as if it’s arbitrary Ned 🤔
Lovely article on Declan
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/13/making-england-declan-rice-world-cup-west-ham-arsenal?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Tis a nice piece, thanks C100. Great player these days
and he deserves all the praise he’s getting.
In “formerly of this parish” news, Folarin Balogun, now playing his football in Monaco, bagged a couple for USA in their win over Paraguay last night.
C100 @22 – a lovely article indeed ❤️
Congrats to Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang,
MBEs to all three. Where is Declan’s knighthood?
C100@22: Thanks for that link. Confirms every impression one gets of Declan.
Mention of his two wonderful free kicks against Real Madrid reminds me of a couple of remarkable stats that I recently came across. We haven’t scored directly from a free kick in the league since the 2021-22 season, and Declan is nought for 25 with his efforts in league games — which suggests he is due to score one, as the PL conversion rate is around 4%.
This chart from the FT was accompanied by a note that the hydration breaks in World Cup games are proving such a lucrative success for the broadcasters that football as a game of four quarters, not two halves, will inevitably be coming to a Premier League near you before too long.
Ned @28. Up to a point Lord Copper. It was American based investors, including our very own Kroenkes, who tried to bounce us into a European Super League. The fans told them to get stuffed. The thought of dealing with a four quarter game when, as I experienced at Wolves last season, the temperature is close to zero, it’s sleeting hard and all you want is to finish thegame and go home, I think and hope will be a starter.
I mean a NON starter!
C100@29: I am merely the messenger of the thoughts of the FT’s sports editor, Josh Noble, which he fleshes out here: https://www.ft.com/content/cdcd0676-65f9-4032-bb06-9f36746a3627?syn-25a6b1a6
Never underestimate the strength of the conviction on this side of the pond on the part of the people who make their money from money that football in Europe is woefully under-commercialised and that they, the people who make their money from money, will eat the lunch of the Europeans, who they see as not having a clue about monetising brands. What could possibly go wrong? Just ask Todd Boehly.
The World Cup has just started. Great first 25 Brazil v Morocco
Great first half. Two brilliant goals. A wonderful watch. 1-1 at halftime.
TTG
Take me hat off to you mate, great reportage and opinion!
Love this site. Really mean that.
Love you all! CHAMPIONS
Time for bed. Good luck to the Scots!
C100@35: Wise choice. The technical quality has dropped at least three levels from the Brazil v Morocco game. Scots leading 1-0 at half-time from a fortuitous deflection of a McGinn mis-hit.
@31 thanks Ned, I suppose the FT bloke could be right though I haven’t read his actual words as I declined to pay 5800yen per year. However, anything that can be sold with an ethical angle thrown in is generally an easy sell, in this case of course it would be something about reducing player injuries in winter, hydration breaks in summer (who could be against those?) etc etc and conveniently ignoring the fact that they increased the need in the first place. Followed by a sermon on the importance of financial well-being. I hope C100 is right @30.
Scots scrape over the line, probably thus avoiding ending up bottom of their group, because they will struggle to trouble Morocco or Brazil.
Congratulations to the New York Knickerbockers on their first NBA championship in 53 years. That is no place near as long as Tottenham have gone without winning of course but still a valiant achievement. Mayor Mamdani is apparently a fan of both the Knicks and Arsenal so a good year for him too.
Masterfy summary of our European progress TTG. We have moved from not being on a par with Europe’s elite to being right at the top with little to distinguish Atrsenal from the very best. You are also spot on to highlight the referee’s unkind penalty decision in the final. Onwards and upwards could do us a trick next campaign, fingers crossed. A bit of attacking razzmatazz could help but Martinelli and Havertz scored big goals for us this campaign as you mentioned.
bt8@39: Hizzoner is a huge Knicks fan. When he goes to watch them at Madison Square Garden, he sits in the equivalent of the upper tier of the North Bank, not in the courtside seats favoured by his predecessors, where they are sure to be caught by the TV cameras.
For those reading reports on the BBC about New York being in flames following the final game, I would note that the disturbances were confined to a small area and didn’t start until police in riot gear turned up as most celebrating fans around the Garden were starting to disperse. There was no similar unrest elsewhere in the city, where there was also no riot policing despite extensive street celebrations. There had been some anti-police hostility after Game 3 (the one the Knicks lost). The police chief vowed not to allow a repeat after Game 5 (the deciding one) but seems to have ended up ensuring there was by sending in riot police. You can imagine what might have happened if the Met had deployed hundreds of anti-riot officers in full gear at the spontaneous celebrations after we won the League title.
Kai starts up top for Germany.
Kai gets two, including one from the spot as Germany beat Curacao 7-1. Second one was a cracker, break away and chipped the keeper.
In a little more once of this parish news….
Local sources inform me that Tomi came on in
the 2nd half for Japan and did fine. Pleased for
him that he made it after two or three miserable
seasons.
International sources tell me that Tomiyasu came on for Japan in the 74th minute or exactly 4 minutes after Timber came on for the Netherlands. Only Japan scored after the two of them came on, so a feather in the cap of Tomiyasu?
bt8@45, that would be Quinten Timber, Jurrien’s twin brother. I was also confused at first, knowing that Jurrien is injured.
@45 bt8, if I was Tomi I’d definitely be telling everyone
“ I changed the game when I came on” 😂😂
But I think he’s a nicer, more modest person than me….
As Tomi left Ajax last month I guess this is a kind of a
shop window chance for him if he can play a bit and Japan
have a decent run in the competition
Another one formerly of this parish, Omar Rekik, on the scoresheet for Tunisia against VG14’s Sweden.
Nice hold-up and lay-off by Big Vik to set Isak on his way for Sweden’s second goal, although Tunisia’s keeper, Chamakh — no, not that Chamakh — must be furious with himself for getting a hand to it but not pushing it wide.
Not sure if the Swedes call him Big Vik but he scored to make it 3-1
A fine way to bring up the 50 with an Arsenal centre forward’s goal 🎉
I watched Japan play The Netherlands. First half was very dull but the second half was excellent, the game of the tournament so far. 2-2 a fair result. Both sets of fans really up for it, the orange clad Dutch as always (get in King Billy) and the frankly bonkers Japan fans.
Didn’t stay up for Sweden but delighted that Big Vik had such an influential game and is off the mark with a goal and assist.
I’m not really a basketball fan, though I’ve seen the Magic play a few times when on holiday in Orlando. My son is though, a legacy of those Florida holidays, so I’ve been kind of following the story of the New York Knicks redemption.
I am a fan of great sports writing though and I loved this with its echoes of spontaneous delight in North London.
https://newsroom.observer.co.uk/cr/AQjcjBUQwJQkGJGsm1IwsaSQBA0SHnhFnitos7AhFVNa_SfvTs1IJMuOPQG9pkeYgiJY
I enjoyed the Japan / Netherlands game but have rationed myself to the more attractive looking games ( and those at sensible times ). I liked the look of Nakamura the left wing back if Japan . Somerville looks a real player and despite the owner of the Royal Mail trying to buy out the porn broker Wet Spam may struggle to keep their best players . I don’t think we need him unless he plays off the left wing.
Bouaddi , who we’ve been linked with for months was MOTM for Morocco versus Brazil and the Times suggest we are in negotiations for him saying we will alternate MLS, Rice, Zubi and Bouaddi next season ( whither Merino ? ) . I can’t enthuse over Germany thrashing Curacao . It’s like us giving a trimming to the Isle of Wight . Surprised that Ecuador lost to Ivory Coast
Well in for the half-ton, bt8.
If Big Vik and Isak really click, Sweden will have quite the attack, especially with keeper Nordfeldt having a hell of a long kick in him.
Bouaddi looks a very mature player for an 18-year-old. No doubt that he would be a good signing at the right price, although it would raise questions about Nwaneri’s future with the club and, to a lesser extent, MLS and Dowman’s development.
Re: Potsticker @46. My confusion about the Timbers might, as you might have guessed, have something to do with the fact that I wasn’t actually watching the game, but I take it as good news that Justin wasn’t risking extenuating his injury not that I hope his brother gets injured of course. 😀
Raya, Merino and Zubi all on the bench for Spain.
My Mackem gadge (mate) has gleefully informed me that there are 12 Sunderland players at the World Cup. Two more than Real Madrid.
Merino comes on
Bt8
Jurrien Timber did not go to the World Cup. He dropped out of the Dutch squad before the competition and he probably faces surgery amid doubts that he will be fit for the start of the season. Given the problems we face with Ben White who is also seriously incapacitated Arteta already has a challenge over the right back spot at the start of next season .
Well played Cape Verde! Taxi for La Fuente!
Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw is one of the most amazing results in World Cup history . Extraordinary and quite wonderful
And that is why I love the World Cup.
Right, onto the next one. Trossard starts for Belgium and Theo and Giroud are on the BBC panel. The wife has gone upstairs to catch up with The Traitors India and I’m about to pour myself a glass of malt. 🥃
C100@64: It’s a hard life, but someone has to do it…
The story of Cape Verde v Spain, wonderfully told by Sid Lowe.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/15/spain-cape-verde-world-cup-2026-group-h-match-report
TTG@62: I have wondered if Tuchel might play his B team in the group stage to save legs for the tougher games in the knockout stages, but I guess Spain has shown the risks in doing that.
Your random stat of the day: Although Vozinha is 40, he is only the seventh-oldest player at this World Cup, a list headed by Craig Gordon, three and a half years his senior.
Some interesting stuff in here, from a very reliable source.
https://x.com/handofarsenal/status/2066608665516523605?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
Lukaku 33, De Bruyne 34, Courtois 34, Tross 31. End of an era for a great Belgian generation.
Ned
I think England’s group is far too difficult to rest players. Croatia are an old foe with a good record against England and Ghana are dangerous and used to the heat. Panama have improved from 2018 and will play an aggressive low block . England also need to gel. They want to build a rhythm before the knockout stages – if they get there.
C100@69: But there is another one coming up. Half the Belgian squad is under 25. Lammens and Pendars will be top-quality successors to Courtois, Doku is still only 24 and will replace Leo on the left. They have a highly rated striker in 21-year-old Fernandez-Pardo, reportedly a target for Bayern and the Bindippers, and another one of the same age in Malick Fofana, their top scorer in qualifying but who didn’t make the final squad for North America. The boots they don’t seem to have anyone to fill are De Bruyne’s.
Ned / C100
Ned you are right to underline the emergence of new talent in Belgium . Perhaps the most exciting player and one who Hand of Arsenal suggested was very much on Berta’s shortlist is Mika Godts , the young Ajax winger who looks sensational on You Tube ( but then who doesn’t ?) . Surprisingly he was left out of the squad .
But what is coming through doesn’t remotely measure up to the Gokden Generation that gave Belgium the best team they ever had – players like Hazard, Moussa Dembele , De Bruyne , Kompany, Alderweireld, Vermaelen , Vertonghen , a young Lukaku and Mertens never capitalised on the talent they had in terms of winning trophies . Hazard and De Bruyne were generational talents and in a country the size of Belgium with a Jupiter League that doesn’t produce many challengers in the later stages of the Champions League I think the national team will decline whilst still producing a few excellent players who can hold their own in top company . Unfortunately Sambi Lokonga was not one of these! Doku is their big, emerging star
TTG@72: Apparently, the debate within the club over Godts is whether to sign him while he is still relatively inexpensive and develop him into the world-class left winger he will surely become or go for a proven quantity like Morgan Rogers, Kenan Yildiz at Juventus or Bradley Barcola at PSG, all still in their early 20s but twice as expensive.
The Patrick Vieira derby is on in New Jersey. France v Senegal.
Interesting stat
Countryman@68 Thanks for linking Handofarsenal. Very interesting stuff.
If Doku is Belgium’s big emerging star then they are in trouble.
I’d sign Godts (if he is actually on the shortlist) and an older left wing personally as I don’t think it’d break the bank and it’s an area where we can probably upgrade.
Though I haven’t given up on Mikel & co developing Eze’s game to play there.
OM@77: There are a few left-wingers who tick the older box in this fine establishment. Transfer fees wouldn’t break the bank, but the bar bills might…
True enough Ned 😂
Finding left and right wingers doesn’t seem a problem these days…..
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