Catégorie : Sport News

Liverpool home kit for 2025/26 is going to bring big change. The Reds entered a new era this season following the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the arrival of Arne Slot – but while most of the playing squad remained the same, their shirts have brought evolution.

Of course, the Reds home kit is always red, but it has been tweaked over the years. The 2024/25 strip was inspired by the one worn by Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, and Alan Hansen in 1983/84, a pinstripe design on a darker, more regal tone of red.

So far Liverpool have seen plenty of success in the new jersey, winning all but one of their games at Anfield. But what can fans expect of the 2025/26 kit?

Liverpool 2025-26 kit predicted

Footy Headlines have released their prediction for next season’s kit, which will be the first made by Adidas as part of the new deal. Liverpool’s kits had previously been made by Nike.

There will be no pinstripes next season according to the prediction. Instead, the 2025-26 shirt will have a more minimalist look, reminiscent of the 2006-07 shirt, with a thin white line bordering the torso and sleeves.

Where the 2006-07 shirt had the iconic Carlsberg sponsorship, next season’s strip will again be sponsored by Standard Chartered. The deal with the bank runs until the end of the 2026-27 season.

The 2006-07 kit, worn by Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso and co., was also incidentally the first of a run of Adidas-designed strips, after previous designers Reebok were replaced.

That appears to have influenced Footy Headlines’ prediction, and it remains to be seen if the design will actually follow the template of Adidas’ first Liverpool kit almost two decades earlier.

The only difference between the predicted 2025-26 shirt and the 2006-07 shirt is the large, prominent collar on the former, which is not expected to feature on the new iteration.

The shirt will not be available to buy until July, according to Footy Headlines, because Liverpool’s deal with Nike does not expire until the end of June.

If Slot can guide his side to Premier League glory and more silverware this season, that will likely make the wait to purchase the new kit more bearable for the Liverpool faithful.

The World Cup only takes place every four years and that means most top players get to feature in the tournament two or three times at most.

Pelé played in four and won it three times in a record which may never be beaten – especially if the current four-year gap between tournaments is maintained.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi won the World Cup at the fifth attempt and Mexico’s Rafa Márquez is the only man to have captained his team in five efitions of the tournament.

Over the years, a select group of footballers have also scored in multiple tournaments. Here, a look at the players who have netted at three more editions of the men’s World Cup…

16. Michel Platini

One of the biggest legends of French football, Michel Platini led Les Bleus to victory on home soil at Euro 84, scoring nine times en route to the title.

Platini played at three World Cups for France and helped his side to the semi-finals in 1986. He scored five goals in the tournament: one in 1978; two in 1982; and two more in 1986.

15. Raúl

Despite not winning anything with Spain, Raúl González is one of La Roja’s all-time greats and was the nation’s top scorer until he was overtaken by David Villa.

The former Real Madrid captain scored five World Cup goals for Spain across three editions: one in 1998; three in 2002; and another in 2006. That effort against Tunisia was his last-ever international goal.

14. Lothar Matthäus

One of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Lothar Matthäus played in five World Cups and captained West Germany to victory in the 1990 tournament.

Also part of the West German squads which reached the final in 1982 and 1986, Matthäus scored in three different editions of the tournament: once in 1986; four in 1990; and another in 1994.

13. Luis Suárez

Luis Suárez played in four World Cups for Uruguay and the former Barcelona and Liverpool striker scored in three of those.

Suárez struck three goals in 2010, two in 2014 and two more in 2018. Also remembered for his handball against Ghana in 2010 and a bite on Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in 2014, Suárez was unable to score at the 2022 tournament.

12. Cristiano Ronaldo

With his goal against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer in the men’s game to score in five different editions of the tournament.

After a single goal in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions, the Portuguese hit four – including a hat-trick against Spain – in 2018 and one more in 2022.

11. Neymar

Despite his impressive form as a youngster at Santos, Neymar was not called up by Brazil for the 2010 World Cup.

Brazil’s biggest star in 2014, Neymar scored four goals as the hosts reached the semi-finals, but missed the humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany through injury. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward added two more goals in 2018 and another two in 2022.

10. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona was already one of the most exciting players in the world in 1978, but the legendary number 10 was left out of the squad for the World Cup that year as Argentina won the trophy on home soil.

Maradona would go on to play in four World Cups, leading Argentina to the trophy as captain in 1986 and to the final again in 1990. He scored eight goals at the tournament overall: two at the 1982 World Cup; five in 1986; and one more in before a drugs ban in 1994.

9. Roberto Baggio

Roberto Baggio’s defining moment at the World Cup was his missed penalty in the shootout against Brazil in the 1994 final.

But Baggio had been instrumental in helping Italy through the tournament in the first place, scoring five goals en route to the final. He also scored twice in 1990, incuding a wonderful solo effort against Czechoslovakia, and returned in 1998 to add two more.

8. David Villa

David Villa played a huge part in Spain’s success at the 2010 World Cup, scoring five times to help La Roja win the trophy for the first time in their history.

Villa was also on target three times at the 2006 World Cup and Spain’s all-time top scorer hit his final goal for La Roja in a win over Australia at the 2014 tournament.

7. Grzegorz Lato

A winger who was part of Poland’s golden generation in the 1970s and early 1980s, Grzegorz Lato is considered one of the nation’s best-ever players.

Lato finished as the World Cup’s top scorer with seven goals in 1974 as Poland finished third. He scored two more in the 1978 tournament and another in 1982.

6. Gabriel Batistuta

Gabriel Batistuta was Argentina’s all-time top scorer until he was overtaken by Lionel Messi and the former Fiorentina favourite twice hit hat-tricks in World Cups.

In total, Batistuta scored 10 World Cup goals: four in 1994; five in 1998; and another in 2002.

5. Jürgen Klinsmann

Jürgen Klinsmann helped West Germany win the World Cup in 1990 and went on to play in two more tournaments for Die Mannschaft.

Klinsmann netted 11 goals in his three World Cup campaigns overall: three for West Germany in 1990; five with Germany in 1994; and three more in 1998.

4. Pelé

Pelé is the only player in football history to win the World Cup three times and the Brazilian legend scored in four tournaments.

The former Santos great hit six goals as a 17-year-old en route to the 1958 title, one more before injury in 1962, another as Brazil exited in the group stages in 1966 and four in another successful campaign in 1970.

3. Lionel Messi

After a series of disappointing World Cup campaigns and a near miss in 2014 as Argentina lost to Germany in the final, Lionel Messi led the Albiceleste to glory in 2022.

Messi did not score in 2010, but was on target once in 2006, four times in 2014, once again in 2018 and hit seven as Argentina took the title in 2022.

2. Ronaldo

Ronaldo went to four World Cups with Brazil and won it twice, although he was an unused player at the age of 17 in 1994.

The former Inter, Real Madrid and Barcelona striker scored 15 World Cup goals overall: four in 1998 as Brazil reached the final; eight en route to the title and the Golden Shoe in 2002; and three more in 2006.

1. Miroslav Klose

More effective at international level than in his club career, Miroslav retired from Germany duty as the nation’s all-time top scorer and as a World Cup winner in 2014.

Klose scored 16 World Cup goals, more than any other player, netting five in 2002, five again in 2006, four in 2010 and two in 2014. He won the Silver Shoe in 2002 and the Golden Shoe four years later.

Both Minnesota (11-2) and Green Bay (10-4) are among the NFC’s four franchises with double-digit victories after the Packers’ 30-13 trouncing of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. Most fans may not recognize either squad as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, but Shannon Sharpe thinks they are.

Not only does Sharpe think they are Super Bowl contenders, he also thinks they’ve gone under the radar this season, as he said on Nightcap:

“I think because the Lions were playing so well, people kind of overlooked Green Bay and Minnesota… Minnesota is 11-2, with a chance to go to 12-2 tomorrow… [and] Green Bay’s got a good team. They can run the football with Josh Jacobs… [their] defense is really good.”

Early in the 2024 season, the NFC North was acknowledged as the NFL’s top division. This came after all four of its teams – the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears – began the year 4-2.

Since then, the Lions have established themselves as a top Super Bowl contender. At the same time, the Bears have fallen off a cliff.

Meanwhile, what have the Vikings and Packers been up to? They’ve not basked in the limelight, but have chugged along and maintained success. The Lions’ success, per Sharpe, is why Green Bay and Minnesota have gone underappreciated.

Seven teams have 10-plus wins through Week 15. Three of those seven are NFC North franchises. And all three are set to play a massive role in who represents the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.

The NFC North is essentially guaranteed three playoff teams

Both Detroit (12-2) and Minnesota have already clinched postseason berths. The Lions secured theirs with a victory over Green Bay in Week 12. The Packers beating the Seahawks officially locked in the Vikings’ spot.

Per NFL.com, Green Bay’s SNF triumph gives them a greater than 99% chance of appearing in the playoffs. An Atlanta Falcons’ loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football would solidify their positioning as a playoff team. Even if the Falcons defeat the Raiders, the Packers’ next victory – or any Falcons slip-up – puts them in the NFC’s seven-team field.

The NFC North’s dominance leaves just one other wild card bid available in the conference. Right now, the Washington Commanders (9-5) are clinging to that placement.

Seattle (8-6) and the Arizona Cardinals (7-7) are lurking closest to the Commanders, but have a better chance of replacing the Los Angeles Rams (8-6) as NFC West champions than catching Washington.

The biggest thing left uncertain is the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Three teams – the Lions, Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) – are in contention for the privileges it provides. And one Week 18 battle (Vikings-Lions) could dictate who gets all the marbles. If there’s any remaining game worth blocking your calendar for, that’d be it.

Klay Thompson played his second game at Chase Center since his departure from the Golden State Warriors this summer. The Mavericks secured a 143-133 win this time, behind 29 points in 29 minutes from the four-time NBA Champion. 

The 34-year-old seemed emotional after securing a season-high in points at his old stomping grounds. He was the last Dallas player to exit the hardwood, as he breathed in the atmosphere for potentially the last time this season. 

“I just wanted to take that moment for myself because I spent a lot of days in here especially when I couldn’t play,” Thompson explained during the post-game press conference. “I just took that moment for myself because I worked so hard to get back to feeling like this. Feel like I owed myself a second just to soak it all in.”

Klay spent nearly three of his 13 seasons in Golden State sidelined due to lower body injuries. His journey back to the hardwood was long and arduous, especially once contract negotiations between him and the Warriors began to break down. 

It was difficult for the veteran guard to accept that his franchise didn’t value him the same way anymore. But he remembers his relationship with the fans differently. 

Back in November, when the Mavs played their first game against the Dubs, there was much fanfare surrounding Klay’s return. This time, there were no sailor hats in the arena to honor the sharpshooter, but Thompson did receive a warm welcome and ovation from the crowd when he stepped onto the floor. 

Klay Thompson reflected on guarding his Splash Bro., Stephen Curry

Though Thompson doesn’t possess the same physical tools he once did, his best defensive tool against Stephen Curry was his experience. 

The two had scrimmaged together for over a decade, learning every move the other had to offer. That helps Klay in his matchups against Curry and compensates a bit for his athletic disadvantage. However, the real challenge for the five-time All-Star was managing his emotions during the contest. 

“I’m getting more accustomed to it with each time we face each other,” Klay said about defending Steph. “We’d guard each other plenty of time in practices and scrimmages.”

It wasn’t just the challenge of the matchup that Thompson reflected on though. “You always cherish the moments you get to face the best players. So it’s cool I get to say I guarded Steph. Like I guarded Kobe and KD, it’s just another story I get to tell,” the two-time All-NBA wing added.

Thompson taking pride in the matchup says much about his character. As conflicting as the moment must have been for him, he wanted to ensure that he gave his former Splash Brother his flowers. The next time the two face off will be in Dallas in February. If Klay wants to battle at Chase Center again this season, it will have to be during the playoffs. 

The Dallas Cowboys (6-8) dominated the Carolina Panthers (3-11) to the tune of a 30-14 victory in Week 15. Normally, this would be a cause for celebration for Cowboys fans like Skip Bayless. But in this instance, the former ESPN and FOX Sports analyst isn’t sure how to feel.

Bayless discussed Dallas’ triumph on YouTube Sunday evening. He revealed the Cowboys were “tearing him apart” despite prevailing by 16 points.

“My emotions are so mixed. I don’t know whether to root for or against them. I don’t know, I’m lost, man… I was convinced they had taken off… [then] Joe Burrow finally did what Joe Burrow always does to everybody… he hit Ja’Marr Chase and the game was over. And so was my season.”

On Monday, Burrow and the Bengals handed the Cowboys a hard-to-swallow 27-20 defeat.  With 61 seconds left in a tie game, “Burrow did what Joe Burrow always does” and clinched a win. The Cowboys’ special team’s blunder in the final moments of the game led to the Bengals recovering a fumble at their 43-yard line.

Joe Shiesty connected with Ja’Marr Chase for a spectacular 40-yard touchdown just three plays later. Chase masterfully outmaneuvered Pro Bowl CB DaRon Bland to land the final nail in the Cowboys’ coffin.

Bayless harped a great deal on the Cowboys’ Week 14 loss as it brought the Cowboys down to a disappointing 5-8 record, drastically harming their playoff odds.

Had they beaten the Bengals, they’d be just two games out of the playoff picture. Instead, they reside three games back following the Commanders’ last-second Week 15 victory.

What are Dallas’ current playoff odds?

According to NFL.com, the Cowboys have just a 1% chance of making the postseason. This likelihood takes their victory over Carolina into account. Dallas needs to win their final three games and have Washington lose their last three contests to retain any possible path to the playoffs.

The Cowboys would also need significant help beyond that to steal a postseason bid.

This wouldn’t have been the case had Dallas defeated Cincinnati. Entering Week 14, the Cowboys held a 4% chance to make the playoffs. A victory in that Monday Night Football affair, per NFL.com, would have increased their odds to 9%. But the loss dropped them to less than 1%.

When your team is eliminated from the playoffs, you might root for them to lose so their draft positioning improves. However, it can be odd cheering against them. And since Dallas has not been officially ruled out of the postseason, Bayless wants to hope for a miracle turnaround. Add everything up, and it makes sense that he’s unsure of what to want.

Regardless of their fanbases’ potential desires, the Cowboys should be applauded for fighting through adversity and not quitting on the season. Head coach Mike McCarthy’s squad has won three of its last four games following a 3-7 start. They’ve continued to battle and show tremendous heart instead of “tanking” for the sake of a better draft pick. In a year that feels lost, that is worthy of appreciation.

The New York Knicks are known to have one of the most passionate fanbases in all of sports. However, Gilbert Arenas shared one fatal flaw with the Knicks faithful that might be holding back the city’s basketball franchise. They’ll cheer for an offensive explosion no matter which team it’s coming from.

“The only flaw of a Knicks fan is they love basketball. That’s the negative, it doesn’t matter who has given them the great basketball is the problem,” the former Washington Wizard said on his podcast, Gil’s Arena.

While Gil praised the fanbase for being basketball purists, he underlined how the crowd’s fickle nature at Madison Square Garden often affect the morale of the home team. “Because imagine you’re a Knick point guard and Steph Curry’s coming in there. Steph Curry hits a few threes, Knicks fans is, ‘Oh, sh*t’. So, they’re cheering. This is not how to do it,” Arenas added.

“Like I know you enjoy the greatness of the game itself cause you’re a purist. But y’all don’t know how to be fans. You supposed to be booing that man [Curry],” Arenas concluded.

But while Arenas’ sentiment may be true in general, New York is also known for its hostility to other teams. The Knicks’ first-round series against Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks in 2021 is a prime example of that, when ‘F*ck Trae Young‘ chants reverberated around MSG throughout the series.

In addition, New York is not the only opposing crowd Curry garnered cheers from.

Stephen Curry has heard MVP chants in multiple cities

Gilbert Arenas made a reasonable argument against Knicks fans cheering on opposing stars, but Curry has proven to be a leaguewide exception to boos when the Warriors travel on the road. In fact, the 36-year-old has received MVP chants on several occasions in rival cities, especially during Steph’s first season back from injury in 2020-21.

Chef Curry was notably greeted with admiration in back-to-back road matchups against the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers respectively. Even Cavs fans, who have been defeated in crushing fashion numerous times in the NBA Finals at the hands of Curry and the Warriors, couldn’t help but to heap praise on the future Hall of Famer.

Even during the Dubs’ most recent title run in 2022, Curry was getting swarmed by fans in Boston looking to get an autograph from the legendary point guard.

Charles Barkley’s funny side is not merely restricted to the Inside the NBA show, he’s the same outside Studio J as well. He showcased his humorous personality on the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup red carpet, playfully trolling the reporters and the camerapeople present.

The TNT crew has been in Las Vegas since the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 shifted to “Sin City”. On Sunday, Barkley made himself available for the red carpet event where was initially asked the question, “How you enjoying Las Vegas?”

“I love Vegas, y’all know I’m a gambler. I love this city,” Barkley said.

Barkley is no stranger to the glare of camera flashes, yet his body language had a hint of awkwardness. Hence, the Chuckster decided to break the ice with some good-natured banter. In classic Barkley fashion, he asked, “Did y’all go to college to learn how to take pictures?”

He also displayed his wit by instantly coming up with a quick response after personnel said “Yes”.

“Wow, that must’ve been an easy course,” Barkley hilariously replied.

Everybody present started laughing. However, Barkley’s comment reached far beyond the immediate audience, as social media users were also left in splits.

Sir Charles’ lively and humorous personality is set to add an extra layer of entertainment to the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder finals, making it an even more thrilling experience for viewers.

The Hall Of Famer is clearly in high spirits as the league temporarily shifts to Nevada. He has two more days to enjoy the city before the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup comes to a close.

Ahead of the Dallas Mavericks-Golden State Warriors clash tonight, Channing Frye and Danny Green spoke about the potential of Luka Doncic and co.’s ongoing campaign. Jason Kidd’s boys’ 11-2 record in their past 13 games prompted Frye to claim that the team should at least repeat their result from the previous campaign.

Otherwise, the tandem would be considered a failure, especially with the way Dallas athletes are performing.

“They gotta go to the NBA Finals. I think this is the most stacked team that Luka has ever had… This is an all-or-nothing team,” the 41-year-old analyst said on NBA TV.

Frye talked about how Kyrie Irving has been balling out this season to take the offensive workload off of Doncic. Role players like Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II are also playing their part well. So the 2016 Champion declared that anything under a Finals appearance is a bust for a healthy Mavericks side.

Frye’s co-panelist Danny Green had a different opinion, however. Having played in the West for 10 years in his career, Green has first-hand experience of how stacked the Conference is. Hence, the three-time NBA champ reduced the bar for the Texan side by stating that a trip to the Western Conference Finals would also be regarded as a successful year.

“I think Western Conference Finals is still a pretty good achievement for them. If they get to the finals, it’d be great. The West is always stacked… Ultimately, the West is so good, it’s hard to say you’re not having a successful season if you make the Western Conference Finals,” Green said.

Frye is not wrong in saying that the tandem of Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and role players like P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, marks the strongest team of Doncic‘s career. He has made deep playoff runs in the past few seasons, so the expectations have now rightfully shifted to the NBA Finals and beyond.

But Green’s argument also makes sense. Dallas outperformed last season and were the underdogs to go to the Finals. So we have to keep that in mind before setting this year’s expectations.

A trip to the Western Conference Finals would be a significant achievement, given the level of competition in the Western Conference. However, the team’s summer transactions and the sense of urgency they’ve displayed since mid-November suggest that the Mavericks are in win-now mode.

Doncic and co. have catapulted to the #4 spot in the West

After the initial three weeks of the 2024-2025 season, the Mavericks’ prospects of replicating their previous season’s success appeared doubtful. The reigning Western Conference champs had an awful 5-7 record that included losses against the ailing Indiana Pacers and the Utah Jazz.

But the Mavericks have completely flipped the switch since their two-point loss vs the Jazz on 14^th November. The All-Star duo of Doncic and Kyrie Irving have led the team to improve drastically, resulting in an 11-2 record since then.

The Mavs defeated powerhouses such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets, and the New York Knicks during this span, reigniting championship aspirations among their fans.

The Washington Commanders (9-5) escaped with a 20-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints (5-9) on Sunday afternoon. Washington secured their win by stopping New Orleans’ game-winning two-point conversion attempt on the final play of regulation.

Nobody can deny the play was thrilling in nature. However, it shouldn’t have happened. Before the Saints scored the touchdown that set up their possible win, referee Shawn Hochuli’s crew made an egregious error.

They incorrectly stopped the clock for a brief stretch after a New Orleans’ fourth-down conversion with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Had the clock run continuously, time would have expired.

Hochuli, the head referee of the contest, was asked about the critical incident postgame. He told reporter Luke Jones his crew “mistakenly stopped the clock.” Hochuli also said the situation “[was not] reviewable”, but would not admit if he recognized the hiccup in the moment.

Analyst Warren Sharp didn’t mince words when discussing Hochuli’s crew, calling the mistake “unforgivable” and “unbelievable.”

Fans immediately pointed to the NFL’s sportsbook connections as a reason for the whole end-of-game sequence transpiring. According to Action Network, 77% of public bets on the game were backing the Commanders. A Saints victory, presumably, would have been a better outcome for sportsbooks.

Gambling ads are some of the most pervasive in sports these days. There’s no denying the NFL, other sports leagues, and sports outlets push those services onto viewers.

Errors like these make people doubt the legitimacy of the NFL’s product. Sooner than later, they need to hire referees full-time and establish a higher level of consistency both crew-to-crew and week-to-week.

Eye-catching performances in the lower racing divisions are one of the most basic prerequisites for a driver to gain entry into the NASCAR Cup Series. But they are not always enough. Tommy Joe Martins, 38, is one of the best examples. The Mississippi native recently stirred up an unintentional storm against drivers who the fans believe don’t deserve to race in the premier tier.

Martins has been racing in the Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series since 2009. Most recently, he drove the #45 Chevrolet for Alpha Prime Racing in 2024 and finished 13th at Talladega. He responded to a post on X about how the iconic Greg Biffle was 34 years old when he made his Cup Series debut and wrote, “No one thought this was weird, either.”

One follower asked him in return, “Foreshadowing 38-year-old 2025 Cup Series Rookie of the Year Tommy Joe Martins??” The silly season has already sprung multiple surprises on fans this year. Martins finally coming into the big leagues would be another one on the list. However, his answer ended up being a rather rude awakening.

He said, “I’m not approved to race in the Cup Series. Not enough success in the lower divisions. Context be damned.” This revelation is what caused fans to get on the backs of other drivers including Cody Ware. One fan asked, “How have you not been approved when we’ve had drivers like Corey lajoie and Cody ware in the cup series? Seems to make no sense to me.”

The reasons behind the negativity that fans have against Cody Ware

Another followed, “So how in the blue hell did the likes of Cody Ware get to race in cup?” One more fan said, “Yet a criminal like Cody Ware can.” Ware is the son of NASCAR Cup Series team owner Rick Ware. He drove the #15 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing in 2024. A big mark against him, however, came on April 10, 2023.

The 29-year-old (then 27-year-old) was arrested on a charge of “assault by strangulation” and a misdemeanor charge of “assault on a female.” The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office had set his bond at $3,000. NASCAR suspended him indefinitely following this. But in December, the charges were dismissed and he was reinstated.

Although he was cleared, it appears that the fans haven’t let go of the issue. His name being pulled into a discussion that he had nothing to do with proves the same, not to mention his performances also playing somewhat of a role there.