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Lionel Messi opened the scoring, Gianluigi Donnarumma kept PSG ahead, and Sergio Ramos sealed things to extend PSG's Ligue 1 lead to six points.

Goals from Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, as well as a stellar goalkeeping performance from Gianluigi Donnarumma, led PSG past an impressive Nice on Saturday.

Messi opened the scoring for the visitors, sneaking into space at the near post and lifting a left-footed finish past Kasper Schmeichel. Nice had their chances, but a pair of diving stops from Donnarumma in the final seconds of the first half ensured the Parisians maintained a narrow advantage.

Donnarumma was at it again after the break, denying Nice three times in short order to ensure that PSG stayed ahead. And Sergio Ramos sealed things late on, leaping from a corner to nod PSG into a 2-0 lead.

The Parisians were perhaps fortunate to walk away with a clean sheet, and never really looked entirely comfortable. But with a title to seal, outcomes and scorelines are what truly matter.

🏆 TOP STORY: Reiss Nelson to face criminal trial

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Is the Women's World Cup the Lionesses' to lose?

🚨 MUST READ: Scott McTominay is a goal machine!

GOAL rates PSG's players from the Allianz Riviera…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gianluigi Donnarumma (8/10):

  Made two remarkable diving saves towards the end of the first half to keep PSG ahead. Stopped three more early in the second half. Finished with seven saves. Italy winning the Euros type of performance.

  Danilo Pereira (7/10):

  Lacks mobility, but his physicality was often too much for Nicolas Pepe.

  Sergio Ramos (8/10):

  The best of the back three. Scored PSG's second with a classy header, got most of his defensive stuff right. Converted 83 of 85 passes.

  Marquinhos (5/10):

  Looked uncomfortable on the right-side of a back three. Dragged around by the excellent Khephren Thuram. Not his best game.

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• Midfield

  Achraf Hakimi (5/10):

  Outdone by Thuram on the wing, lifeless going forward. Massively off his best.

  Vitinha (6/10):

  Asked to play in a deeper midfield role following Sanches' injury, and didn't look entirely comfortable.

  Renato Sanches (N/A):

  Brought off after 10 minutes with another muscle injury. Can't catch a break.

  Carlos Soler (6/10):

  Lots of running, but isn't the box-to-box midfielder he was eventually asked to be.

  Nuno Mendes (7/10):

  Serviceable on the left, and looked to join the attack. Defended Pepe well, grabbed an assist.

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  Attack

  Lionel Messi (8/10):

  Answered the critics, and disgruntled fans, with his side's opener. His touch was lovely, and he forced a couple of important saves, too. Big game from a big player.

  Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

  Not quite happening for him at the moment. Tried to do a bit too much and squandered a couple of half-chances. Blasted one over with the goal gaping in stoppage time.

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  Subs & Manager

  Fabian Ruiz (6/10):

  Came on early for Renato Sanches and put in an agreeable shift.

  E.C Bitshiabu (6/10):

  Solid cover at left-back to see the game out. Really steadied things for the Parisians.

  Warren Zaire-Emery (N/A):

  A brief run out. Deserves to start.

  Christophe Galtier (7/10):

  Stuck with the 3-5-2, with mixed results. PSG failed to exert influence on the game early, and grabbed their opener against the run of play. Nice were the better side for stretches, with Donnarumma's excellence the only thing keeping PSG in the game. This was far from convincing, but Galtier survives another week, and PSG get one step closer to the title.

Casemiro capped his outstanding season with a talismanic performance as the Red Devils secured a top-four finish in the Premier League

Manchester United booked their return to the Champions League in emphatic style by thrashing Chelsea 4-1 at Old Trafford. As he has done for most of the campaign, Casemiro led the way, bulldozing his opponents in midfield without mercy.

He scored one goal, helped set up another for Anthony Martial and spurred United on to a memorable thrashing which was completed by a Bruno Fernandes penalty and a late strike from Marcus Rashford, his 30th goal of the season.

It was a glorious end to what has been a long but exciting first season under Erik ten Hag, who has United back on the path to greatness, even if they are still quite a way from it. Chelsea, by contrast, look a long way from returning to Europe's elite competition, and this was another harrowing night for the Blues, who slumped to their eighth defeat under Frank Lampard.

It was also an agonising night for Antony, who was carried off on a stretcher with an injury which looks set to rule him out of the FA Cup final.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Old Trafford…

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  WINNER: Erik ten Hag

  The top four is the minimum requirement for any Manchester United manager and the Dutchman has achieved the objective at the first time of asking. It has not been an easy ride and it has been far from a perfect season, but given he inherited a team that had just registered United's lowest points total in 30 years in the Premier League, it has been an impressive debut campaign from the Dutchman.

  He also overcame a nightmare start to the campaign as United lost their first two matches for the first time in 30 years, and has gone on to record 40 victories from 60 games, a better win ratio than any of his predecessors in a debut season. He has also taken more points than any manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era in a debut campaign.

  Ten Hag has taken some tough decisions, such as dropping club captain Harry Maguire and routinely leaving Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting line up before he left. But he has also overseen great improvements in individual players such as Rashford and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and given a chance to the club's next great academy player Alejandro Garnacho.

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  LOSER: Chelsea's toothless attack

  Chelsea's starting forward line cost the club a combined £190 million, but neither Kai Havertz, Mykhailo Mudryk or Noni Madueke looked capable of troubling David de Gea. And that was despite being presented with some glorious chances in the first half.

  Lewis Hall, Chelsea's most impressive player, teed Mudryk up early in the game, but he barely made contact with the ball. Hall then sent in an inviting cross towards Havertz, but the German headed well wide of the target. Madueke had some nice touches and crafted out a few promising moves, but he failed to control a pass which would have set him free towards goal.

  With such a toothless attack, it is little wonder that Chelsea have only scored 37 goals this season in the Premier League (only one more than Erling Haaland), their lowest tally in 31 years in the Premier League.

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  WINNER: Casemiro

  The Brazilian was an indomitable force all night, winning tackles all over the pitch and galvanising his team-mates as well as the crowd. He has rediscovered his hunger for goals, and his crashing header from Christian Eriksen's free-kick was his second in as many games after his outrageous bicycle kick against Bournemouth.

  Speaking of outrageous, his no-look pass shortly before half-timed outfoxed the Chelsea defence, allowing Jadon Sancho to serve up the second goal for Anthony Martial.

  Casemiro was signed days after United's shock 4-0 defeat at Brentford and he famously told his agent "I will fix this" when he urged him to get the deal done. Nine months on, he has dragged United back into the Champions League, a competition he has won five times.

  He has been United's most important player this season along with Rashford, and at last the crowd have a chant for him, his name echoing around Old Trafford at a deafening volume, making almost as much noise as his crunching tackles.

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  LOSER: Cristiano Ronaldo

  The Portuguese sulked his way out of United in November with the help of Piers Morgan, bemoaning the low standards at the club. He got his wish by moving to Al Nassr and becoming the best-paid player in the world, but United have had the last laugh by storming back into the Champions League, which used to be Ronaldo's playground.

  While they will be playing against Europe's elite again and enjoying the glamour of the continent's best competition next season, Ronaldo will be toiling in the Saudi Pro League. And even though his sudden departure sent shockwaves through the club, it has proved to be a key factor in United's strong end to the season.

  Ten Hag's side have looked far more cohesive without the brilliant but egotistical five-time Ballon d'Or winner, and are much more effective on the pitch without him too. Even though United's options at centre-forward since his departure are a half-fit Martial and the bulky Wout Weghorst, both players understand the importance of team work and tracking back.

Whether due to injuries or competition in certain areas, there are some big decisions to be made regarding the European champions' line-up…

England will take on Portugal on Saturday in their 2023 Women’s World Cup send-off friendly, which acts as an alarm for just how close the tournament is now. Twelve months ago, when the Lionesses took on Switzerland in their last match before the 2022 Women’s European Championship, it felt like the starting line-up was quite easy to predict. This time around, things are different.

Some of that is because of injuries to key players, with Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby all key members of the XI from last summer that will not be heading to Australia. Another reason, though is the emergence of a lot of young talent that has made certain areas of the team more competitive than ever.

Sarina Wiegman has had a few months since the Lionesses’ last games, in April, to think about her line-up for that opening World Cup game versus Haiti, and this weekend’s fixture will be the most telling look yet that those outside of the England camp will get at her plans.

So, what are the big selection dilemmas the coach has had to ponder? GOAL takes a look…

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  Replacing Leah Williamson

  One of the most interesting areas of Wiegman’s XI on Saturday will be in the heart of defence. Not only does she need to replace Leah Williamson, her captain, in there after an ACL injury in April, but also Millie Bright. The Chelsea star is in the World Cup squad but will not be fit for this fixture as she continues to rehab after knee surgery. It means there will be another opportunity handed out to someone at centre-back in Milton Keynes, then.

  It’s largely expected that Alex Greenwood will partner with Bright for the World Cup. The duo had an excellent partnership in the build-up to last summer’s Euros until Williamson was moved back from midfield to play alongside Bright as the tournament neared. There’s clear confidence within the camp that the two can pick up that strong link again this summer.

  But should Bright, set to skipper England in Australia in Williamson’s absence, not be fit enough to start the World Cup campaign, who would step in for her? It’s not clear what the pecking order looks like beyond Bright and Greenwood, but it’s likely a few hints will be given by Saturday’s team selection.

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  The left-back problem

  The biggest head-scratcher for Wiegman across her entire tenure as England boss has concerned the left-back spot. There’s a real lack of options in this position in the Lionesses’ player pool.

  It looked like she had cracked it in February. Greenwood used to play on the left side of defence in years gone by, and Wiegman started her in the role again for two of England’s Arnold Clark Cup matches. However, the injury to Williamson means the Manchester City defender is now needed centrally instead, reopening the dilemma.

  Rachel Daly played at left-back during the Euros campaign, but she has just scored 22 goals in 22 league games for Aston Villa as a striker, earning her more opportunities up top for her country as a result.

  Jess Carter, Niamh Charles and Esme Morgan are all versatile players who can assume the role, with Charles operating in it a lot for Chelsea this past season, while Carter was Wiegman’s choice there for both of England’s games in April.

  Despite openly talking about how difficult it is to play in the position for England because it's not one she plays often for club, it does look like Carter will be Wiegman’s choice at left-back. Saturday will give the biggest indicator yet of whether that will indeed be the case.

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  Lauren James' role

  One of the most competitive areas of England’s team is out wide. On the right, it feels like Lauren James and Chloe Kelly are competing for a starting berth, with Katie Robinson, the 20-year-old Brighton forward, likely to assume a super-sub role.

  Kelly was tasked with the latter at the Euros last summer, and she would emerge as the hero in the final, scoring the extra-time winner at Wembley as England defeated Germany to lift the title. A year on, with Mead’s absence factored in, she’s edged more and more towards a starting role. She goes into the World Cup with momentum, too, having ended the season in flying form.

  James, meanwhile, started her second season with Chelsea with a bang, hardly putting a foot wrong after spending her first campaign at the club getting on top of niggling injuries. It was form she also took into the international windows, making a strong case to be a starter with her performances in November and February, in particular.

  However, her minutes were managed a little more as the season came to its end. Whether for tactical reasons or just to ensure she didn’t pick up any injuries after a much more demanding season, the 21-year-old was on the bench for both legs of Chelsea’s Women’s Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, for example.

  While extremely talented, it was a reminder that James is still new to the highest level. She’s still only got 10 caps for her country and only made her debut last September. It will be interesting, then, to see whether she becomes another option off the bench this summer. She’ll certainly be a dangerous one if so.

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  Will Alessia Russo keep the No.9 shirt?

  Without a doubt the biggest question surrounding Wiegman’s first choice XI regards the centre-forward role. Having been an impact player at the Euros, scoring four goals in six appearances from the bench, Alessia Russo has been the main striker for England since Ellen White’s retirement last summer.

  However, that position has been under threat in recent months. While Russo ended the WSL season with 10 goals to her name, Daly scored an incredible 22 in 22 outings, earning herself a shot as the Lionesses’ No.9 in the November and February camps as a result – scoring on both occasions.

  There has also been recent competition from Beth England, who scored 12 goals in 12 games after joining Tottenham in January. That form allowed her to sneak into the World Cup squad at the last moment, having not been called up since September.

  Can Wiegman possibly overlook Daly in her form? Or will she stick with Russo?

A late goal from an unexpected source earned the Blues a draw in a game headlined by a young defender's fantastic performance

This was probably a glimpse into what Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea will look like when the Premier League starts. We're just over a week away, after all. The clock is ticking as players look to earn their place in Pochettino's go-to XI.

Well, one young star made his case. Levi Colwill, fresh off a new contract, was the standout in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday as he anchored the Chelsea defence alongside the veteran Thiago Silva. The young star clearly features in Chelsea's future plans, but it's performances like this that will see him become a key player in the present.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Christopher Nkunku, whose status for the Blues' Premier League opener against Liverpool will be in doubt after the ex-RB Leipzig star suffered an apparent knee injury.

Wednesday night's clash was, largely, a pretty tepid affair, one decided by two second-half goals. Marius Wolff got Dortmund's in the 80th minute, finishing off a move after Chelsea failed to properly clear a set-piece. That, though, was answered by young Maston Burstow, who got a goal of his own in the 89th minute to seal the draw.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Soldier Field…

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  Hold your breath for Nkunku

  It's the last thing anyone wants to see: a player down clutching his leg in a pre-season game. That was what we got midway through the first half, though, as Chelsea saw their new signing Nkunku go down with an injury.

  The pitch conditions were at least partly to blame, adding even more frustration to the whole situation. The field looked to be a problem all night, so it just felt like an injury like this was on the cards.

  Fortunately, it appears it isn't catastrophic. Nkunku was seen on the bench with an ice pack on his leg, a good sign, for sure. What it means for his immediate future is anyone's guess, though, with a season-opening clash with Liverpool just a week-and-a-half away.

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  All eyes on the striker situation

  While one striker target, Dusan Vlahovic, was scoring for Juventus against Real Madrid, another got a chance to prove himself in Chelsea blue. Nicolas Jackson has outperformed expectations so far this pre-season, and he was active here. The summer signing had several chances to score and, on another night on another pitch, he might have gotten one or two.

  Still, despite the lack of goals on this night, Jackson looks the part. He'll need time to adjust to the Premier League, for sure, but if this pre-season is any indication, he'll probably be just fine.

  Another striker may come in; this is Chelsea, after all. If one doesn't, though, and the club starts the season with Jackson leading the line, they'll be starting the season with a player that certainly brings something fresh and something new to an attack that has needed just that for some time.

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  Colwill shines after penning new deal

  Call it the new contract bounce. Colwill recently committed his future to Chelsea, despite plenty of rumours linking him with a move away, and the Blues will certainly be happy that he did based on this performance.

  Starting next to Thiago Silva, Colwill was cool as can be, fitting in nicely right next to the Brazilian legend. Silva, of course, was steady as always, but it was Colwill that was the standout central defender.

  His passing opens up so many things for Chelsea, with Colwill joining Silva with his ability to break lines out of the back. Defensively, he was reliable, too, going toe-to-toe with a strong Dortmund attack throughout.

  He's only 20, but they do say if you're good enough, you're old enough. Well, Colwill looks plenty good enough to play a role this season and in the years to come with his future at Stamford Bridge now clear.

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  Concerns surround Sterling

  It hasn't been Raheem Sterling's best pre-season, to say the least. The England star has struggled mightily, and this may have been his worst performance yet.

  Sterling was all over the place on Wednesday night, establishing himself as the place Chelsea attacks went to die. There was very little that Sterling did right, only continuing on a worrying trend that has defined his preseason.

  The ex-Manchester City man is meant to be a veteran figurehead in the attack, but is instead being totally outperformed by just about everyone around him. And, with just a few days left before the start of the season, pre-season rust can't be an excuse.

  With so many attackers in the squad, and maybe even a few more on the way, is Sterling's starting spot in danger? On this form, it has to be, right?

Sergino Dest has bid farewell to Barcelona once again, with the USMNT star joining PSV on a loan deal that includes a permanent transfer option.

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• Dutch-born defender returns to Netherlands
• Struggled to make impact at Camp Nou
• Eager to get club career back on track

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It may be the last time that the United States international packs his bags at Camp Nou, with the 22-year-old looking to restore stability to a promising club career that has fallen a little off track. He will be hoping to thrive back in the familiar surrounds of Dutch football, with the Almere-born full-back having previously starred for Ajax.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Dest made 38 appearances for Ajax before joining Barca in October 2020, but he was restricted to just 72 outings for the Liga giants as he struggled to nail down a regular starting berth. He was then sent on loan to AC Milan last season.

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  WHAT THEY SAID

  Dest, who has earned 26 caps for the USMNT, has told PSV’s official website of returning to the Eredivisie: “PSV were in touch with me every day and expressed a keen desire to get me on board, which was a good feeling. And on top of that, I like the style of football they play at PSV. I think it suits me very well. I return to the Netherlands. I’m still the same player but I’ve gained a lot of experience and I’ve hopefully acquired a higher efficiency. I can’t wait to make my debut.”

  PSV’s director of football, former USA international Earnest Stewart, added: “Sergino Dest was keen to join us, which we obviously liked. He is a very skilful and creative defender who can help the team with his explosive power and attacking intentions. He is as fit as a fiddle!"

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Dest will go straight into the PSV squad, as he looks to make the kind of impact that will earn him an extended stay in Eindhoven, with their next fixture set to see them face Scottish outfit Rangers in the first leg of a Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday.

Slowly but surely, the Blues are finally seeing a return on their £89 million investment – but the flying winger still has a long way to go

As an emotional Mykhailo Mudryk clasped his hands to his face in disbelief at Craven Cottage, the sense of relief in the dugout, the away end and for those watching on at home was palpable. Eight-and-a-half months on from his stunning £89 million ($107m) move to Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk, the winger had found the back of the net in competitive action.

Controlling Levi Colwill's pass expertly, Mudryk sprinted through and fired a shot between the legs of Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The ensuing scenes of jubilation were testament to his hard work and popularity among the Blues' squad.

This was not a flash in the pan, though – the kind of false dawn Chelsea supporters have become accustomed to with misfiring, expensive attacking signings – but rather the culmination of months of graft, and – hopefully – the beginning of a new chapter.

Mudryk is finally beginning to show his potential in a Chelsea shirt, and under Mauricio Pochettino's tutelage he stands a real chance of shaking off that nagging tag of 'expensive flop'.

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  Fitness undoubtedly an issue

  With an £89m price tag and a burgeoning reputation, Mudryk was unfairly expected to hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, and in truth he's been fighting a losing battle ever since.

  He played his final game for Shakhtar Donetsk almost two months before signing for Chelsea in mid-January, which means he almost certainly wasn't match fit as Graham Potter eased him into the team in the subsequent weeks.

  If the winger was already playing catch-up, that was compounded by the fact that overall fitness levels suffered badly during the second half of last season, with both Graham Potter and Frank Lampard failing to juggle a bloated 30-man squad.

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• Working overtime

  It's no surprise, then, that a full pre-season under notoriously tough trainer Pochettino has done him the world of good. While his minutes have still been managed somewhat, he looks stronger and fitter. But that isn't just down to his head coach.

  By all accounts, Mudryk is putting in an absolute shift off the pitch, and his hard work has been rewarded. It has even been reported that the Ukrainian's team-mates have been taken aback by his relentless work ethic, as he spends endless hours in the gym with a personal trainer working on his strength and speed.

  Indeed, Chelsea have even decided to put some boundaries in place – reducing his extra strength training in a bid to aid his conditioning.

• Handled with care by Pochettino

  It's easy to forget that this is a player whose career is still in its infancy, despite his exorbitant transfer fee; Mudryk had made just 65 first-team appearances before completing a life-altering transfer to Chelsea – many of which were as a substitute.

  He was thrown in at the deep end without a real period of adaptation by Potter, who was desperately seeking a solution to his side's troubles back in January, making his debut just shy of two months after his last competitive game. When it became evident that he wouldn't hit the ground running, he swiftly became a bit-part player.

  Pochettino – a manager with a reputation for developing and improving young players – has adopted a wholly different approach. The wide man has been eased into the team, with his minutes gradually increasing and performances gradually improving.

  The Argentine has worked one-on-one with 'Misha', even playing crossbar challenge with him in a bid to build his confidence, and is insistent on taking things "very slowly". Having opened his account for the club, Mudryk revealed on his Instagram story that his manager had gifted him a copy of Guillem Balague's book 'Brave New World', about Pochettino's Tottenham team that includes contributions from the manager. They are both beginning to reap the rewards of their blossoming relationship.

  mmudryk10 Instagram

  "We need to understand that young people need time and need to settle," Pochettino said after Mudryk capped his recent upswing by slotting home his first competitive goal for the Blues. It’s about adaptation. It’s a big change when Mudryk arrived here and when you arrive at a team, it’s not easy to settle in a team that isn’t solid. He wasn’t the cherry on the cake, they needed to add something to the team.

  "It’s about time, having patience, trusting these young talented players, building confidence. It’s a big job, step by step. Sometimes people don’t have the patience but for us it’s about having the patience."

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  Creator-in-chief

  Before his well-taken goal at Craven Cottage, Mudryk had looked more likely to assist a goal than score one himself. He's often been Chelsea's most creative player in a period where they have been bereft of ideas.

  The most encouraging aspect of his game in the opening weeks of the season has been his vision and ability to pick out a team-mate in a threatening position, with the early signs of a developing understanding with striker Nicolas Jackson.

  The 22-year-old has played five key passes in the league, and has an average xA (expected assists) of 0.8. All of which means he is already well on his way to matching his contributions from last season.

  A whipped through ball to play Jackson in against Aston Villa was particularly eye-catching, but the Senegal international was unable to snaffle up the chance. His combination with the centre-forward could and perhaps should have yielded an assist against Bournemouth, too.

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Celebrating the club’s beating heart – its supporters.

Guess who's back? Iconic footwear and leisurewear brand Converse and Liverpool FC have teamed up for a second collaborative limited-edition capsule collection.

Liverpool x Converse Capsule CollectionShop now

The collection takes inspiration from the club's famous colours, architecture, and typeface, with the diversity and creativity that reflects a new generation of global football fans. We love it already.

Liverpool x Converse

Key pieces include a limited edition unisex premium puffer jacket, Converse x LFC Chuck 70 high-top sneakers – incorporating colour-blocking and gradient style inspired by LFC's iconic away colours – a Converse x LFC cotton jersey Crew, including illustrated LFC-inspired graphics and the Converse x LFC Star Player 76.

Liverpool x Converse

The second collection in the Converse x Liverpool FC partnership celebrates the club’s history and champions its future whilst paying homage to the supporters and anthems of Anfield. 

The collaboration will also see the corresponding campaign, ‘Creating From The Ground Up,’ shift from inspiration to action, as Converse provides a platform for featured Liverpool FC fans to create in the production of the campaign. 

Liverpool x Converse

The campaign features a cast of Liverpool fans who are lifelong supporters and creatives in their own right: multi-discipline creative Dredz, singer-songwriter Pixey and artist Sterling Rose Kelly alongside members of the senior men's and women's Liverpool squads Darwin Nunez, Missy Bo Kearns & Taylor Hinds.

Liverpool x Converse

Liverpool x Converse capsule collectionprice & how to buy

The all-new Liverpool x Converse capsule collection isavailable to buyfrom October24 at Converse.

Liverpool x Converse Capsule CollectionShop now

Here's a closer look at some of the items available:

• Liverpool FC x Converse Collection

  Converse x LFC Chuck 70

  Liverpool x Converse£90.00 at Converse

  The Converse X LFC Chuck 70 comes in an amazing colour-blocking pattern and gradient style inspired by LFC's iconic away colours.

• Converse x LFC Star Player 76

  Liverpool x Converse£80.00 at Converse

  The stunning limited-edition Star Player 76 features all-over graphics and colours as a nod to the LFC legacy.

• Converse x LFC Chuck Taylor All Star

  Liverpool x Converse£65.00 at Converse

  Adorned in an all-over red colourway, the Converse x LFC Chuck Taylor All-Star features the Liverpool logo on the sock liner, tongue and heel. A subtle Liverpool touch to your everyday.

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• Converse x LFC Puffer Jacket

  Liverpool x Converse£190.00 at Converse

  You don't get much bolder than this gorgeous Converse x LFC Puffer Jacket. With an allover gradient graphic featuring a bird's-eye view of Anfield and embroidered Converse and LFC logos, it's the perfect winter warmer.

Lionel Messi has a World Cup win to his name, and he may have helped to inspire India captain Rohit Sharma to glory in cricketing circles.

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• Cricket World Cup reaching conclusion
• India captain a clear Messi fan
• Inter Miami owner provides special gift

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup continues to play out on Indian soil, with the hosts preparing to lock horns with old adversaries Australia in an epic final showdown in Ahmedabad. Rohit, along with team-mates such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, will be called upon to deliver on the expectations of millions in their homeland.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Virat has been rubbing shoulders with a man that knows all about the challenges of performing under pressure, with Manchester United and England legend David Beckham paying a visit to to India in his role as a UNICEF ambassador.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Beckham swapped jerseys with Rohit during their brief encounter, as a Real Madrid shirt featuring his name and No.23 was passed on, while the Inter Miami co-owner was also able to deliver a Messi top for one of the Argentine icon’s biggest fans – with Rohit’s daughter proudly taking ownership of that gift.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Rohit’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, said in a post shared on her Instagram account: “Thank you for making this little Leo Messi fan very happy David Beckham.” India will compete for a global crown against Australia on Sunday, while Messi is readying himself for a 2026 World Cup qualification clash with Brazil next Tuesday.

  Instagram

Lionel Messi was all smiles as he began training with his Argentina team-mates ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches.

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• Messi back in Argentina training
• Star smiling ahead of World Cup qualifiers
• Albiceleste to face Uruguay and Brazil

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi reunited with his Albiceleste co-stars this week and began preparing for the clashes with Uruguay and Brazil. He shared an image on social media of himself smiling during practice.

  instagram/leomessi

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi and Argentina hope to increase their lead at the top of the South American qualification group. The reigning world champions are five points ahead of Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela after four matches.

• WHAT MESSI SAID

  The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived at Argentina training on Monday and shared his delight at being back with the team, posting on Instagram: "Happy to be back as always".

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Argentina will host Uruguay at the Alberto J. Armando stadium before visiting Brazil at the Estadio Jornalista Mario Filho. Messi will be hoping to impress after taking a break from competitive action due to Inter Miami's failure to make the MLS playoffs.

Ex-United States star Freddy Adu had a similar impact on MLS to global icon Lionel Messi since joining Inter Miami, a former coach has said.

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• Adu became huge figure at age 14
• Had big impact on MLS's commercial success
• Ex-star compared to Inter Miami hero Messi

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The attacking midfielder became a worldwide sensation when he made his MLS debut for D.C. United at the age of 14 and was hailed as the USA's version of Pele. While Adu failed to live up to the expectations that surrounded him from such a young age, his fame had a massive impact on the profile and commercial success of the league.

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  WHAT THOMAS RONGEN SAID

  Ex-United and USA Under-20s coach Thomas Rongen told : "In the first year in MLS, DC United, contractually, had to play him at least a few minutes every game, particularly on the road. Freddy Adu was just like Messi or [David] Beckham – on the road there were 40,000 people chanting ‘Freddy, Freddy, Freddy’. Peter Nowak [who replaced Hudson as DC United coach for Adu’s debut season] told me: ‘I had to play him 10 minutes, at least, every game.’ We tried to protect him as much as we could, but you just couldn’t get away from it. Anywhere we went in the world, particularly after he’d signed to MLS and had sponsorship deals, the spotlight was Freddy Adu, like it is with Messi now. I remember we played the Haitian national under-20 team in Fort Lauderdale. There were 18,000 people. People were coming to watch us practice."

  He added: "He had the same stature as Messi, a great dribbler. He was very unpredictable, and for an American player we’d never seen anything like that. He manhandled players and teams in his own age group when he was 14, 15, domestically and on the international level. He could assist and score with ease."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After emerging as a star with the Washington club, Adu went on to join Real Salt Lake before heading to Europe to play for Benfica. His time on the continent did not go according to plan, however, as he was loaned to Monaco, Belenenses, Aris and Caykur Rizespor before heading back to his homeland. He then enjoyed spells in Brazil, Serbia and Finland before going to North American Soccer League (NASL) side Tampa Bay Rowdies and USL Championship club Las Vegas Lights. The last club he played for was Swedish team Osterlen, but he left there in 2021.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  While the craze around Adu was about his potential to become a global star, Messi has attracted widespread attention after arriving at Inter Miami as a World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d'Or winner – he went on to win it for an eighth time after joining the Florida club. His presence has sparked huge demand for tickets involving Inter Miami, resulting in clubs drastically increasing the prices.