There is often a perception that Mitchell Marsh is forever fighting to keep his spot in any Australia side he plays for. In his fluctuating Test career that is perhaps fair, except for the fine run he enjoyed in 2017-18, and his T20I career has been stop-start. However, in ODI cricket he has shown much more consistency than he is often credited for.Aaron Finch made specific mention of his numbers – which now stand at 35.82 with the bat and 36.02 with the ball – ahead of the series against England. For a direct comparison, albeit this allrounder is absent from the series, Ben Stokes’ numbers are 40.63 and 41.71 and he is considered among the very best. With the bat, which can be viewed as the primary role for both in one-day cricket, Marsh does not lose much.”This format has certainly been the one I’ve been most consistent in,” he said. “I take great confidence in that. I don’t look up my stats too much, but certainly love this format.”ALSO READ: Australia’s reminder to world champions – we’ll always be the benchmarkIn many ways, it was a combination of strange and unfortunate events that led to Marsh not being at the 2019 World Cup. At the start of 2018 he was in possession of a middle-order slot and had a consistent series against England with two half-centuries. They would be his last ODIs for two years.He missed the 2018 tour of England (shortly after sandpaper-gate) due to ankle surgery; he was left out of the South Africa series later that year to be “managed”, in the words of national selector Trevor Hohns; he came down will illness one the eve of the one-day series against India in early 2019, which was followed by a nasty blow in the box that required surgery. Then he was left out of the tours to India and the UAE (to play Pakistan) that preceded and ultimately shaped the World Cup.In the end he was called up as a standby when Marcus Stoinis suffered a side strain, but a few months later – after taking a five-wicket haul on his return to the Test side – had the bad idea of punching the dressing room wall early last summer, which disrupted the first half of his season until the Big Bash. He had to wait until February’s tour of South Africa for his ODI comeback, and was then named Man of the Match against New Zealand at the SCG in March, days before the sporting world stopped due to Covid-19.In the last few days he has not looked like a cricketer who hasn’t played for six months. He was Man of the Match again on his T20I return and was central to Australia’s victory in the first ODI at Old Trafford, along with Glenn Maxwell’s lively 77 and a world-class spell by Josh Hazlewood. There seems little reason, given a fair wind and no more punching of walls, that Marsh will not be in the middle order for a long run now as Australia build towards 2023.Mitchell Marsh dug deep for Australia•Getty Images

“I certainly know I’m being given this opportunity again, batting at No. 5 is a role I’ve done for most of my career in one-day cricket and I certainly feel really confident I can play my role for the team there,” he said. “It’s certainly great to have public confidence from Finchy. I’ve got a great relationship with him and someone I’ve played a lot of cricket with.”It’s not about me going out there and playing every game to try and cement my spot. It’s about playing to the best of my ability to make sure I’m contributing to wins for Australia. If you do that, your position in the team takes care of itself.”Marsh came to the crease on Friday with Australia 80 for 3 in the 16th over, which would become 123 for 5 in the 24th with Adil Rashid threatening to cause havoc again. It was not a dissimilar position to the last time the teams played an ODI: in the World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston, Australia were 118 for 5 in the 28th. On that day it became 223 all out and game over, but this time a 126-run stand with Maxwell built a matchwinning total.”Yesterday I tried to take the situation out of it, the fact we’d lost a couple of wickets, and just try to take it as deep as possible,” he said. “Glenn’s innings was amazing and really took the pressure off at times, allowed me to just keep batting. It would have been nice to capitalise at the end and get a few more but was rapt with the partnership I had with Maxi to get us into a really good position.”In the opening match he was only required to send down five overs of his brisk medium pace, but it was with the ball that he earned the match award against New Zealand in March. On his day Marsh could deliver a full quota of 10 overs and is probably a notch up from direct competitor Stoinis. It means Australia have depth to both their batting and bowling.A lot can happen in three years, as Marsh knows only too well, but at 28 he should be coming into his peak to make him one of the key building blocks to Australia’s one-day side.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson surprisingly claimed he was happy to secure a point against lowly Leyton Orient in League One.

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• Parkinson happy with Leyton Orient point
• Birmingham leapfrog Wrexham into top spot
• Red Dragons travel to Stevenage next

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The high-flying Red Dragons dropped crucial points last weekend as they were held to a goalless draw by 18th-placed Leyton Orient in League One. The result at Brisbane Road allowed Birmingham to climb above the Welsh Club and grab the top spot in the English third division.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While many considered the result to be disappointing for an in-form Wrexham side, manager Phil Parkison claimed that he was satisfied with a point in the away fixture. He even pointed out that their opponents were on a three-match unbeaten run in the league before they faced Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side.

• WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Wrexham boss said: "I don't think you can ever devalue a point on your travels. It is a great point for us with their recent form. Orient have had a really good run – they beat Stockport, I came down on Tuesday and they were really good against Peterborough – and they are a decent team, they finished in the top half of this division last year but we stayed in there.

  "We didn’t get the control we would have liked until we made the change on 60 minutes when George Evans gave us that extra pass which we were crying out for. And then in that last 25-30 minutes, I felt we were the team that was going to go on and win the game. A couple of moments fell to us and we couldn’t quite get that finishing touch to it. But the lads have got to stand strong. It can be tough away from home and it’s about making sure that you get back up the road with something."

  He added: "On your travels, you have got to be resilient. At times, we could have got that extra pass in just to take the sting out of them because when we started doing that, we stretched the pitch and we really looked like the team who could go and win the game.

  "We spoke about them starting quick which home teams do and Orient did it away to Stockport when they got two goals. They had that great chance when Kelman should have scored but apart from that, I didn't really feel they troubled us. We just needed to be sharper in possession ourselves to string some passes together and as we did that in the back end of the first half, we looked more threatening. In the second half, you could see they were tired, they put so much into it, and we had good control of the game. I felt a goal was coming for us and we so nearly got it when it didn't quite fall for one of our lads in that scramble in the six-yard box."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Parkinson's side will be back in action on Tuesday night as they take on Stevenage in a League One clash away from home.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus could move back to his homeland as former side Palmeiras are eager to sign the Brazil international.

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Jesus linked with Arsenal exitForward fell out of favour under ArtetaPalmeiras want to bring him backFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 27-year-old started his career with the Brazilian team and went on to score 29 goals in 83 games over two seasons before Manchester City snapped him up. Now, the Serie A team want to bring their former star back to his homeland. The Sao Paulo team are eager to make a landmark signing in attack ahead of next year's expanded Club World Cup and reports that Jesus is the man they have their hearts set on.

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Arsenal were reportedly open to selling the 64-time Brazil international during the summer transfer window but no move materialised. However, coach Mikel Arteta suggested he could still play a role for the Gunners after his pre-season performances, as he challenged him to find some consistency.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jesus has made 83 appearances in all competitions since he joined the north London team, but he has fallen out of favour at the Emirates Stadium. He has had to settle for brief appearances as a late substitute in three of their five league matches.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

The report adds Arsenal are willing to sell Jesus during the January transfer window if they can recoup around €40 million (£33m/$45m) for him, and Palmeiras may be willing to match that figure in 2025.

Stand of 162 for third wicket sees Storm to third win of the competition

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2020

Sophie Luff clears the front leg•Getty Images

Western Storm 215 for 3 (Luff 104*, Hennessy 86) beat South East Stars 212 for 9 (Blythin 50, White 50, Hennessy 3-40) by seven wicketsIn-form Sophie Luff fashioned a brilliant hundred to guide Western Storm to a comfortable seven-wicket Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy triumph over South East Stars at the Bristol County Ground. Chasing a target of 213, Storm’s captain top-scored with 104 not out and shared in a match-winning stand of 162 with Georgia Hennessy for the third wicket as the hosts cruised to victory with 23 balls to spare.Hennessy excelled with bat and ball, the 23-year-old Worcester-born allrounder claiming 3-40 in 10 overs before posting an assured 86, her highest score of the season so far.Stars won the toss and Kirstie White and Maxine Blythin both registered patient half-centuries on a difficult pitch. But neither was able to go on and make a really decisive contribution, and Stars’ total of 212-9 in 50 overs never really looked like being enough once Hennessy and Luff began to move through the gears.Even without their England internationals, Storm have now won three out of four games and are the only side still in with a realistic chance of overhauling South Group leaders Southern Vipers and making the final at Edgbaston later this month.Storm’s reply suffered an early setback when Fi Morris was bowled for a duck by Tash Farrant without offering a shot to the third ball of the innings. Unperturbed, Lauren Parfitt and new batsman Luff took full advantage of the fielding restrictions to add 49 for the second wicket. The advent of spin eventually proved Parfitt’s undoing, the Welsh international hoisting a catch to Capsey at deep midwicket on 18. But Luff remained relentless in her quest for runs, working the gaps to scamper ones and twos, while punishing any lapse in line and length when the bowling strayed.Hennessy proved the perfect foil, as five of her first six scoring shots went to the boundary. Striking the ball cleanly, the allrounder refused to allow the spinners to settle during the middle part of the innings, Alice Capsey, Hannah Jones and Megan Belt resorting to considerable variation in a bid to subdue her.Luff relied upon nimble footwork to counter the slow bowlers, helping herself to half a dozen boundaries en-route to a workaholic 84-ball half-century. It was her third score of 50 or more in four innings since moving up the order this season. Hennessy required 22 balls fewer to attain the same landmark.Luff’s perfectly-paced innings was adorned with 11 fours and a six and she went to three figures from 132 balls, while Hennessy accrued 12 boundaries in a forthright knock which spanned 106 deliveries. Victory was already assured when Hennessy was bowled by Hannah Jones in the 46th over.Stars elected to bat but found the going far from straightforward on a characteristically slow Bristol pitch. New-ball pair Lauren Filer and Alex Griffiths sent down 13 wides in the first 10 overs but, when they did find the right line, both troubled the batsmen. Filer made the breakthrough in the sixth over, bowling Capsey for 3 with a delivery that nipped back.Aylish Cranstone looked to be assertive, in scoring 17, only to see her off stump uprooted by Hennessy as Stars slipped to 62 for 2 in the 15th over.Salvation was at hand in the form of the obdurate White and Blythin, who dug in and demonstrated good shot selection, clever placement and quick running between the wickets in a productive third wicket stand of 51 in 10 overs, which served to put pressure back on the bowlers. The dominant force, White proved particularly effective off the back foot, collecting eight boundaries on her way to a chanceless 75-ball half century.Bu just at the point where Stars were threatening to lay the foundations for a really big score, Emma Corney effected a crucial double-intervention, running out White for 50 with a lightning-quick pick-up-and-throw from point and then finding her way past Amy Gordon’s defences to dismiss the new batsman for a first-ball duck and reduce the visitors to 113 for 4 at the halfway point of the innings.Thereafter, Storm reasserted control, Corney conjuring a tidy return of 1 for 23 off six overs, bowling in tandem with Devon team-mate Stephanie Hutchins, who sent down 10 overs unchanged for 1 for 27. Effectively tied down and frustrated, Tash Farrant scratched 10 runs from 38 balls before looking to drive a straight one from Hutchins and losing off stump as Stars slipped to 147 for 5 after 36 overs.In contrast, Blythin’s patient approach paid dividends, the Kent player finding the gaps and running hard between the wickets to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Having played second fiddle to White, she served as senior partner in a restorative stand of 40 for the sixth wicket with Jones, who raised 28 from 30 balls before lifting Griffiths to long-on.While those at the other end succumbed to death bowlers Hennessy and Griffiths, Blythin went calmly about her business, compiling 50 from 88 balls with three fours. Having reached that landmark, she promptly chipped a slower ball from Griffiths to cover, but only after ushering her team to a respectable total.

MatériaMais Notícias

Diego Cavalieri completou seis mês sem atuar pelo Botafogo. Fora de combate por conta de uma lesão no pé direito – mais especificamente no calcâneo, um dos ossos do calcanhar -, a última vez que o camisa 12 esteve em campo foi no dia 2 de fevereiro.

+ Três erros de arbitragem contra o Botafogo marcam a vitória sobre o Brasil de Pelotas; confira

Na ocasião, o Botafogo empatou com o Palmeiras em 1 a 1 no Allianz Parque, ainda no Brasileirão da última temporada. Desde então, Diego Cavalieri não apareceu mais com a camisa do Alvinegro. Diego Loureiro, atual titular, terminou a última Série A como titular.

Desde então, o Glorioso fez – entre todas as competições que disputou desde então – 40 jogos, sendo 35 na temporada 2021. Cavalieri, consequentemente, não participou de nenhum.

A lesão não é simples. Vale lembrar que Cavalieri chegou a entrar na reta final de transição e treinar com o elenco no fim de abril, mas voltou a sentir dores no mesmo pé direito, quando o treinador do Botafogo ainda era Marcelo Chamusca. Desde então, voltou a tratar da lesão e aparece raramente fazendo atividades em campo.

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– Cavalieri retornou há duas semanas para atividades no campo, vinha treinando normalmente. No início dessa semana voltou a sentir um desconforto, fez exames e está em processo de recuperação. Quem pode dar mais informações é o próprio Departamento Médico. Ele não está sendo utilizado porque está no DM – explicou Chamusca, à época.

O Botafogo, em documento divulgado antes de todas as partidas disputadas pela Série B, colocou que Diego Cavalieri segue em transição. O mais recente informe médico do clube também colocou o goleiro neste mesmo status.

+ Gatito compartilha vídeo e continua na recuperação após lesão

Vale lembrar que o goleiro chegou a ser alvo de sondagens de clubes da MLS (Major League Soccer), o campeonato principal dos Estados Unidos, quando a última temporada acabou, mas o interesse não evoluiu justamente pela parte física do jogador.

Diego Cavalieri tem um dos maiores salários do elenco atual do Botafogo. O goleiro foi importante em jogos do último Campeonato Brasileiro, mas ainda não apareceu como disponível na atual temporada. Diego Loureiro e Douglas Borges se revezaram no gol do Alvinegro até aqui.

Essex seamers thrive in challenging conditions as Lord’s stages first first-class match of season

George Dobell23-Sep-2020Somerset 119 for 4 (Byrom 51*, Davies 19*) v EssexIt’s one of the great ironies of the season that the first-class competition should be named in honour of Bob Willis.While Willis was, without doubt, a passionate supporter of the game in England, he wasn’t necessarily a supporter of the county game. There were, he thought, too many first-class counties, playing too many games. He had long recommended a significant restructuring.So it may prove a fitting legacy if this year’s competition provides the precedent for change. Certainly it appears as if next year’s competition, which will be recognised as a county championship, is set to feature three conferences instead of the two divisions to which we have become accustomed over the last couple of decades. This final, and the Bob Willis Trophy, may well become a fixture of the summer.You suspect, however, that Willis would think such change did not go far enough. And as his face smiled down on Lord’s throughout much of the first day of this match – the scoreboards here featured a picture of him whenever rain intervened – you could almost imagine him passing judgement on what he saw. “Unacceptable, Charles. Of course it’s raining. It’s winter.”This was not, it must be admitted, a vintage day of cricket. Rain flirted throughout and the temperature was so low a polar bear wouldn’t go out without a muffler. And while this season of all seasons, it is hard to criticise – this competition has been an elegant solution to a horrendous challenge – the game has some thinking to do if it continues to plan for showpiece events at this time of year. We are, it might be remembered, still 10 days away from Finals Day at Edgbaston.That Somerset have a foothold in the game is largely due to Eddie Byrom. Perhaps, had the likes of James Hildreth been fit and Tom Banton available, Byrom might have missed out. He went into this match averaging 17 in the competition this season, after all, and with a top score of 30. He had not made a Championship half-century since June 2018.But here he looked compact, patient and, having played himself in, surprisingly fluent. After taking 25 balls to make his first 11 runs, he hit six fours in 17 balls as Aaron Beard, in particular, strayed just a little full and just a little towards the leg stump. His ninth four, the one which brought up his half-century – a glorious straight drive that flew back past Sam Cook – was the shot of the day. He resumes on day two just five short of career-best score against a first-class county; his two centuries have come against Cardiff MCCU and Bulawayo Metropolitan Tuskers.Essex will be the happier of the sides, though. While there was just a little assistance from the overcast conditions and this fresh surface – they are playing on the pitch last used for the 2019 Ashes Test; the one where Steve Smith sustained the blow to the neck from a Jofra Archer bouncer – it was relatively benign by comparison with many of the tracks used in the competition this season.Against an attack featuring Sam Cook and Jamie Porter, Somerset’s challenge will be no easier on day two. While neither are blessed with great pace, they bowl an immaculate line and length and, in conditions offering just a fraction of assistance, test the technique and temperament of any batsman. Here both men delivered six maidens each and conceded just over two an over. The pressure on the batsmen rarely relents.The best example of this came with the wicket of George Bartlett. Five maidens in succession saw Bartlett, with 12 runs from his first 46 balls, tempted by one outside off stump which he might have been best to let go. Instead he attempted a drive which resulted in an edge to first slip; Sir Alastair Cook made no mistake.By then, Sam Cook had already dismissed both openers. Tom Lammonby, playing across a full one which may have swung a fraction, fell to Cook’s third ball before Ben Green was bowled through the gate by one that may have come down the slope a little.That left Somerset in some trouble at 52 for 3, with Tom Abell’s promising innings ended by an outstanding catch by Essex keeper, Adam Wheater. Diving down the leg-side, Wheater clung on to the ball millimetres above the grass after it appeared to brush Abell’s glove and thigh on its way.”When me and Porter bowl in tandem we like to keep it tight,” Cook, who took his 100th first-class wicket with the dismissal of Lammonby, said later. “Especially on days where there might not be much assistance in the pitch.”It is important to build pressure through the run-rate and force the batter to make false shots. We set out to keep the run rate below 2.7 an over and we did that well.”Earlier Somerset had stuck with the side that secured their place in the final with victory at New Road, which meant no place for Dom Bess in his final match before departing for Yorkshire. Essex, meanwhile, recalled Nick Browne in place of Feroze Khushi. Bowling first was the obvious choice for either side winning the toss, with Tom Westley the lucky captain.After play, Ben Green reasoned that 250 was probably a par score. But you suspect that Essex batting line-up may think it is somewhere higher. Seven of this Essex side average in excess of 35 in first-class cricket; only one of those to have played more than 10 first-class games in the Somerset side averages even 33. Byrom has kept his side in the game, but they have some batting ahead of them if they are to give their admirable bowling attack a fighting chance.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS now in charge, this summer is set to be an extremely busy period for Manchester United.

Changes are expected in abundance as they look to improve the standards of the club, from both an on and off-the-field perspective.

One aspect in particular that Ratcliffe wants to keep a cap on is player wages, with some individuals earning way more than they’ve displayed on the grass.

One is even earning seven times more than Alejandro Garnacho.

What Man Utd paid for Casemiro

At the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Casemiro was viewed as a saviour by the Man Utd faithful, after not having a true defensive midfielder for years.

The Brazilian arrived at Old Trafford off the back of a Champions League victory for Real Madrid, which proved that at the time, he was one of the best around.

The then-30-year-old was signed in a deal worth £70m, and over the season, he played a huge role in United winning the EFL Cup and finishing third in the Premier League.

Throughout his debut campaign, the number 18 made 51 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring seven goals and providing six assists, in what was an impressive start to life in Manchester.

Casemiro's 22/23 stats via competition
Competition	Matches	Goals	Assists
Premier League	28	4	3
Europa League	12	0	1
FA Cup	5	2	0
EFL Cup	6	1	2
Via Transfermarkt

Casemiro’s salary at Man Utd

Despite becoming a crucial player during his first season at the club, his most recent campaign with the Red Devil on his chest hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.

Casemiro started the campaign as the first-choice defensive midfielder, but towards the end of the year, he suffered an injury that kept him out for 17 matches.

Once he returned, it’s fair to say that he failed to perform as he had previously, making United vulnerable due to his lack of athleticism, with football creator Liam Canning even describing him as “embarrassing.”

Towards the end of the season, he was heavily criticised once again, being described as a “joke” by Canning this time around, and it’s fair to say that his performances haven’t quite matched his astronomical salary.

Premier League's highest earners
Player	Weekly Salary
1. Kevin De Bruyne	£400k
2. Casemiro	£350k
3. Mohammed Salah	£350k
4. Raheem Sterling	£325k
5. Kai Havertz	£280k
6. Heung-min Son	£190k
Via Capology

To no surprise, the Brazil international is the highest earner at Man United, earning a whopping £350k-a-week, which equates to roughly £18.2m per season, without bonuses.

This means that Casemiro is on a wage that’s seven times higher than Garnacho’s £50k-per-week, who’s provided much more this season for the side in the form of ten goals and five assists across 50 matches.

Furthermore, his ridiculous wage also makes him one of the highest earners in the Premier League, with only Kevin De Bruyne boasting a superior salary. For further context, it's a remarkable £315k-per-week, or 10x more than Jarrad Branthwaite.

The Everton defender has been the subject of keen interest from United in recent months and remains a firm target for the Red Devils heading into the summer.

Given the above, it’s no surprise to see that United are desperate to move the declining midfielder on this summer, with Goal Brazil reporting that they’ll look to retrieve around £30m.

The fact that the clubs interested are from Saudi Arabia and not Europe indicates that his time at the very peak of football is over, and if United don’t send him packing this summer, he’ll earn an astounding £36m in wages alone before his contract is up.

Therefore, it’s clear that Casemiro’s future doesn’t belong at Old Trafford, with any potential move away potentially also set to help Ratcliffe and Co fund that aforementioned move for Branthwaite.

Ratcliffe will finally ditch Man Utd ace who earns 8x more than Amad

The Man United ace has cost the club £6.5m per goal this season.

By
Tom Lever

May 18, 2024

The football legacy of France is one of brilliance, inventiveness, and success. Those special French players who have transformed into World Cup heroes and Ballon d'Or winners have personified the spirit of French football.

It's safe to say that this France team certainly knows how to win, which is backed up by the fact that they've won two World Cups and two European Championships.

With that, here is the list of who we believe are the ten greatest French footballers, based on their overall impact at either club or international level during their careers…

1

Zinedine Zidane

1989-2006

2

Thierry Henry

1994-2012

3

Michel Platini

1972-1988

4

Raymond Kopa

1949-1967

5

Patrick Vieira

1993-2011

6

Just Fontaine

1950-1960

7

Lilian Thuram

1991-2008

8

Olivier Giroud

2005-present

9

Kylian Mbappé

2015-present

10

Marcel Desailly

1986-2006

All stats correct as of 14th June 2024.

Euro 2024 Group D: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Football FanCast takes a look at Poland, Netherlands, Austria and France ahead of Euro 2024.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 10, 2024 10 Marcel Desailly 1986-2006

Marcel Desailly is well-known for his strength, agility and strength on the pitch. The Frenchman's career is distinguished by notable accomplishments and contributions to some of Europe's finest clubs as well as the French national team.

The defender won two Champions Leagues in 1993 and 1994, becoming one of just four players to win back-to-back European Cups with different teams. He also won Serie A titles while at Milan and also won the FA Cup in 2000 with Chelsea.

He was also a key member of the French national team, winning 116 caps and contributing significantly to the country's triumphs at Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup.

International caps

116

International goals

3

Clubs played for

Nantes, Marseille, Milan, Chelsea, Al-Gharafa, Qatar SC

France honours

1998 World Cup, Euro 2000

9 Kylian Mbappé 2015-present

Some of you may feel that Kylian Mbappé deserves to be higher up this list, but let's not forget that he's just 25 years of age with a large part of his career still ahead of him.

The Frenchman already has an outstanding record on the international stage, with 47 goals to his name in just 79 appearances. And he's even more lethal at club level for Paris Saint-Germain, having bagged 256 goals in 308 games. Who knows how many he'll bag for Real Madrid next season and beyond…

His achievements at such a young age are astounding. He's already got a World Cup and UEFA Nations League medal to his name internationally, as well as 14 domestic trophies. That's not including the seven Player of the Season awards he's received in France.

International caps

79

International goals

47

Clubs played for

Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain

France honours

2018 World Cup, 2021 Nations League

8 Olivier Giroud 2005-present

Olivier Giroud is a name that many may not have expected to be on this list, but that's simply because he's massively underrated.

The 37-year-old is France's record goalscorer with 57, which is a sensational achievement when you think of all the greats to have pulled on the blue jersey. He helped Les Bleus lift the World Cup in 2018 and the UEFA Nations League in 2021, and even grabbed four goals in the most recent World Cup.

At club level, he managed to lift the Champions League back in the 2020/21 season with Chelsea. His career tally sits at 283 goals and 101 assists in 708 games, which includes stints at current club AC Milan and Arsenal.

International caps

133

International goals

57

Clubs played for

Grenoble, Istres, Tours, Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, Milan

France honours

2018 World Cup, 2021 Nations League

France's top international goalscorers of all time

France have had some wonderful players over the years – here are the very best goalscorers for Les Bleus…

ByStephan Georgiou Mar 16, 2024 7 Lilian Thuram 1991-2008

Lilian Thuram is recognised by many as one of the best defenders in football history. His career is notable for its extraordinary longevity and accomplishments at club and international level, when he demonstrated his versatility by playing at centre-back and right-back.

Throughout his playing career, Thuram represented Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona. He had great success during his tenure at Parma, where he won the 1999 UEFA Cup. The Frenchman also established himself as a world-class defender at Juventus by helping the team win several Serie A titles.

With 142 caps, he is the second-most-capped player in the French team's history. Thuram demonstrated his leadership qualities, defensive skill and capacity to step up to the plate when it mattered most during France's victories at Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup. Notably, the only two goals he ever scored for his nation came in the World Cup semi-final against Croatia, which helped seal France's place in the final.

International caps

142

International goals

2

Clubs played for

Monaco, Parma, Juventus, Barcelona

France honours

1998 World Cup, Euro 2000

6 Just Fontaine 1950-1960

Just Fontaine is regarded as one of the greatest attackers in football history and has a special position in World Cup history. Despite having a brief career owing to injuries, Fontaine scored a lot of goals for club and country, displaying his remarkable pace, cleverness and finishing touch.

During the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, Fontaine's most illustrious accomplishment was setting a record of scoring 13 goals in a single tournament, which is a record that still remains today.

This incredible accomplishment, which included a hat-trick in his World Cup debut and a four-goal showing against West Germany in the third-place play-off, launched him to global prominence and solidified his position as a World Cup legend.

Highlights of Fontaine's career at club level include successful seasons with Nice and Reims. He was a major factor in Reims' domestic and European accomplishments, winning several French league titles and reaching the inaugural European Cup final.

Even though Fontaine's injury ended his career at the age of 28, he had a significant impact on the game. With 30 goals in 21 games for the French national team, he retired with an outstanding scoring record.

International caps

21

International goals

30

Clubs played for

USM Casablanca, Nice, Stade Reims

5 Patrick Vieira 1993-2011

Patrick Vieira is regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation. During his playing career, Vieira stood out due to his outstanding defensive and attacking performances, as well as his ability to control the midfield.

The Frenchman's club career took off at Arsenal, where he contributed significantly to his side's accomplishments under manager Arsène Wenger. His arrival in 1996 had an instant and significant impact on the team, as he helped Arsenal win four FA Cups and three Premier League crowns, which included captaining the Invincibles in 2003/04.

Following his unforgettable time at Arsenal, Vieira went on to play for Juventus, Inter and Manchester City. He added more trophies to his collection during this time, winning an FA Cup with City and several Serie A titles with Inter before retiring in 2011.

Vieira was also an important member of the French national team, winning 107 caps and helping the team win Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 1998.

International caps

107

International goals

6

Clubs played for

Cannes, Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter, Man City

France honours

1998 World Cup, Euro 2000

4 Raymond Kopa 1949-1967

Raymond Kopa was a legendary French football player renowned for his exceptional dribbling skills, playmaking talents and vision.

Real Madrid and Reims are most famously linked to Kopa's club career. He was instrumental in Reims' 1956 run to the European Cup final and their domestic victories.

Real Madrid were drawn to his skills, and he ended up being a key member of Madrid's 1957 La Liga-winning squad and went on to win three straight European Cups from 1957 to 1959.

He won 45 caps and bagged 18 goals on the international stage. His contribution to France's 1958 FIFA World Cup voyage to the semi-finals was pivotal, and it ended up being their best finish prior to winning the competition in 1998. Playing with another man on the list, Just Fontaine, at the tournament, Kopa's exploits earned him the Ballon d'Or that year, establishing himself as Europe's finest player.

International caps

45

International goals

18

Clubs played for

Angers, Stade Reims, Real Madrid

3 Michel Platini 1972-1988

Michel Platini is a legendary football player known for his amazing goalscoring ability, innovative playmaking and incredible skill as a midfielder. Platini had a successful club career, where he won multiple titles with Juventus in Italy, including the European Cup, the Coppa Italia, and Serie A. He also enjoyed success with AS Nancy and Saint-Étienne in France.

Platini had an equally remarkable international career with Les Bleus. He was the tournament's top scorer and best player at the European Championship in 1984 to help France win the tournament, scoring a record nine goals in a single tournament.

His contributions in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups saw France advance to the semi-finals in both competitions, firmly establishing his reputation as one of the all-time great French players, with 41 goals in total in his 72 caps.

International caps

72

International goals

41

Clubs played for

Nancy, Saint-Etienne, Juventus

France honours

Euro 1984

2 Thierry Henry 1994-2012

No one can dispute that Thierry Henry is one of the most legendary forwards in football history.

Henry's Premier League career at Arsenal took off, and he went on to become the team's all-time top scorer with 228 goals in all competitions. He played a major role in Arsenal's Invincibles season of 2003/04, as well as winning two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, and four Premier League Golden Boots. After his triumph in England, he relocated to Barcelona, where he won two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey, and the Champions League in 2009.

There's no doubting that he played with distinction for France at international level, notching 51 goals and accumulating 123 caps. His contributions to France's victories at Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup helped him lay the foundations for his legacy, despite the controversy during the 2010 World Cup campaign that tainted his latter years.

International caps

123

International goals

51

Clubs played for

Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls

France honours

1998 World Cup, Euro 2000

1 Zinedine Zidane 1989-2006

One of the most recognisable players in football is Zinedine Zidane. Throughout his playing career, Zidane stood out for clubs like Juventus and Real Madrid, as well as the French national team, due to his skill with the ball, vision and exceptional ability to score important goals.

Zidane made a name for himself as one of the best midfielders in the world at Juventus, winning two Serie A titles in Turin. His famous volleyed goal in the 2002 Champions League final, which secured the trophy for Real Madrid, was the pinnacle of his time in the Spanish capital. His tenure at Madrid also saw him win the Intercontinental Cup and La Liga, which he also led Los Blancos to as manager.

His talent was crucial to France's success at Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup, emerging as a key player in both competitions. His reputation as a national hero was solidified with his two headers against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final. Despite the controversy of his red card in the World Cup final of 2006, Zidane's contributions to the sport as a whole are not overshadowed.

International caps

108

International goals

31

Clubs played for

Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid

France honours

1998 World Cup, Euro 2000

Sunrisers have Kane Williamson and Mohammad Nabi to choose from as Mitchell Marsh’s replacement

Shashank Kishore25-Sep-20209:10

Will Sunrisers Hyderabad give Mohammad Nabi a go?

Big picture
Sunil Narine’s batting in the powerplay threw opponents off gear for quite a while after the Kolkata Knight Riders first adopted the strategy in 2017. However, that experiment may be on its last legs if the short ball continues to trouble Narine. The numbers don’t paint a pretty picture for him: 76 balls, 13 dismissals, an average of 7.53. Till 2018, he struck his runs at 175. Since last year, his strike rate has come down drastically to 126.In the Knight Riders’ tournament opener, James Pattinson dismissed Narine with a short ball. Sunrisers Hyderabad don’t have a genuine quick – they are full of swing bowlers, but it’s a prospect that should excite them. So does Narine still hold his place as a bowler? Most definitely: 4-0-22-1 in a game where Mumbai Indians made 195 says so. His action may have been remodelled, the bite isn’t quite the same as earlier, but there are enough tricks in his bag still.And who opens then if he drops down the order? The Knight Riders played Nikhil Naik in the first game, but the experiment didn’t work. Dropping him after one outing could be a tad unfair. Maybe there’s a case for them to give him another chance, and the freedom to play his way. In domestic cricket, Naik has the reputation of being quite a hitter even though his strike rate is only 115. There is also another option in Rahul Tripathi. It’s unlikely the team will tamper too much with the rest of the XI.As for the Sunrisers, they didn’t do much wrong for most parts of their opening game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. At no stage did they allow Virat Kohli’s side to break free while batting and they waltzed their way through the new ball courtesy Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey. However, the middle order, entirely Indian on the day, failed to see off the game. Young Priyam Garg and Vijay Shankar, the allrounder, had a platform to close out the game but they faltered. They must be hurting, and would be eager to correct that.In the news
Mitchell Marsh is out of the tournament and Jason Holder is on his way to the UAE. Sunrisers will need to make a forced change, and there could be a chance for Mohammad Nabi, who can give them four overs on a good day and two or three on a bad day. With the bat, he’s as calm as they come and should bolster an inexperienced middle order. Of course, it could be a tricky call to make if Kane Williamson has fully recovered from his quad injury. The Knight Riders don’t have any injury concerns, having already signed Ali Khan up for Harry Gurney. Everyone is fit and available to play.Mitchell Marsh’s IPL 2020 ended after just one aborted outing•BCCI

Likely XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Dinesh Karthik (capt, wk), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Nikhil Naik/Rahul Tripathi, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Sandeep WarrierSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 2 David Warner (capt), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Priyam Garg, 5 Kane Williamson/Mohammad Nabi, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 Abhishek Sharma, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 T Natarajan/Khaleel AhmedStrategy punt Rashid Khan bowls at least two overs at the death. In the first game, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers chose to play him out before looking to attack. If the Knight Riders decide to promote Andre Russell in the order, the Sunrisers could consider bringing Khan on immediately. He has dismissed Russell thrice in 25 deliveries in the IPL over the years. However, it must also be noted that Russell strikes at 184 against him. So it could come down to a mini battle. Will Russell look to play him out? Will he decide to take him on? David Warner has been dismissed by express fast bowlers with the rising ball of late. This is because he has been rushed. He was dismissed on Australia’s tour of England four times by Jofra Archer. The Knight Riders opened with Sandeep Warrier in the first game, and that brings accuracy in the 135kph range. Maybe there’s a case for them to give the new ball to Pat Cummins along with Shivam Mavi to exploit this minor weakness that may have crept into Warner’s game.Stats that matter Warner made 152 runs, including two half-centuries, at a strike rate of 167.03 in his last two knocks against the Knight Riders. The Knight Riders are the only team to have scored at over 11 an over at the death since the start of IPL 2019. In comparison, the Sunrisers are the slowest scoring unit at 9.4 during the same period. The Sunrisers are the only opponents against whom Russell has a modest record. He averages less than 15. Kuldeep Yadav was taking a wicket every 18 balls until 2018. Since the last IPL, he’s managed just four wickets in ten innings, averaging a wicket every 55 balls – modest for a team’s strike bowler.

After reportedly completing a deal to sign Aston Villa prospect Tim Iroegbunam, Everton have turned their attention to landing Sean Dyche's next priority signing, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Everton transfer news

Despite being stuck at a takeover crossroads, Everton have still managed to splash the cash in a reported £9m deal to sign Iroegbunam this summer. The 20-year-old broke into Unai Emery's Aston Villa side on more than one occasion last season, making 15 first-team appearances in total, but is now set to swap Villa Park for Goodison Park.

Related Sky journalist says Everton have sent a formal bid for a "very fine player"

He has attracted interest from elsewhere in England.

Posts ByTom Coates Jun 19, 2024

The £9m deal should help Villa in their attempts to avoid a profit and sustainability charge from the Premier League, whilst handing Everton a player who's got plenty more to come. Should the midfielder reach his potential, then it could be argued that Dyche will have a natural replacement for Amadou Onana if the Belgian does part ways with the Toffees this summer.

With that deal now reportedly completed and money spent, however, Everton have reportedly turned their attention back towards bargain deals and one particular familiar face in the summer transfer window. According to Romano, Everton are lining up a deal to sign Jack Harrison on loan from Leeds United for a second consecutive season.

Reportedly one of Dyche's priorities since the conclusion of the Premier League season, Harrison showed glimpses of his quality when fit and firing at Goodison Park last season and could now maintain his top-flight place with another move. What's more, Leeds' promotion failure should make any deal easier for Everton to complete this summer.

The Toffees may still be searching for new owners, but that doesn't seem to be standing in the way of arrivals, be that Iroegbunam or Harrison up next, as Dyche prepares to finally take his side away from relegation battles in the Premier League.

"Excellent" Harrison would be wise business by Everton

A player with Premier League experience who could arrive in a loan deal to avoid any transfer fee, Harrison makes perfect sense for Everton. The winger saw the start of his loan spell interrupted by a hip injury last season, before he went on to score three goals and assist a further three in a mixed Premier League spell. If Everton can get the Leeds man back to his best, however, then they'll have plenty more to come.

As Leeds suffered relegation in the 2022/23 season, for example, Harrison managed five goals and seven assists in the Premier League, proving to be a bright spark in a campaign to forget at Elland Road. Now, with Dyche looking to take the Toffees into the comforts of mid-table, the 27-year-old could play a crucial part.

Dyche certainly didn't shy away from praising Harrison last season, either, telling EvertonTV: “People like Jack came into the side. He’s been absolutely terrific. He’s hardly played but he looks clear and he said he felt clear and I thought he was excellent tonight to come in and work as he did.”