Catégorie : Sport News

When Red Bull Salzburg play their next league fixture in February, there will be a new head coach at the helm.

Salzburg have won the Austrian Bundesliga 14 times in 18 seasons and finished second in each of the other four but headed into the winter break in fifth place after a subpar start to 2024-25.

The Red Bull hierarchy decided to call time on head coach Pep Lijnders after less than six months in charge – just in time for Jurgen Klopp’s first day as the controversial multi-club group’s Head of Global Soccer.

Winless run ends Pep Lijnders’ brief spell at Red Bull Salzburg

Salzburg picked up a dominant win over Austria Klagenfurt in their last Bundesliga match on Saturday but didn’t win any of the previous six, losing consecutive games against Blau Weiss Linz and LASK along the way.

It’s unfamiliar territory for a club that was built to win and has ruthlessly fulfilled its promise for two decades. Lijnders was appointed in July to replace Gerhard Struber, who returned to Austria from New York Red Bulls and was sacked in March with their title hopes slipping away.

Lijnders was Klopp’s assistant manager at Liverpool for ten years either side of four and a half months in charge at NEC in Holland’s second division.

He signed a three-year deal at Red Bull Salzburg in the summer and his team have fallen far short of expectations both domestically and in the Champions League, where they’ve lost five of their first six games without scoring a goal in any of them.

Red Bull’s decision to dispense with his services was inevitable and leaves a big question mark over Lijnders’ suitability as a head coach after two jobs amounted to less than a year combined.

But concerns about Salzburg’s failings run deeper than an abortive head coach appointment.

Red Bull Salzburg continued to win Bundesliga titles until last season, when Sturm Graz clawed back a two-point deficit after the league split to win the championship by two points.

Lijnders’ appointment was made with Salzburg in a state of flux. After years of success on the pitch and at the centre of one of football’s great player diasporas, the prolific production line has slowed down.

With RB Leipzig now well-established in the top division in Germany, Salzburg’s position in the Red Bull hierarchy might now be starting to bite.

Their best and most promising players have either been sold off outside the group or picked off by Leipzig. That’s just a consequence of a multi-club model rooted in player development.

There’s a much more dangerous question on the table now, and it’s one that Klopp will need to address in his controversial new role: Is Red Bull still producing those players in the first place?

Salzburg will replace Lijnders between now and February. New York Red Bulls boss Sandro Schwarz is likely to be in the conversation after guiding his team to the MLS Cup final earlier this month.

Klopp’s level of involvement in the recruitment process could give some indication about the extent of his hands-on involvement in the football business of the group.

The Ballon d’Or has rarely been shared around in the last 17 years, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominating the award.

Rodri is the most recent winner of the Golden Ball, though, with Karim Benzema and Luka Modric both having lifted the gong to end the Messi and Ronaldo duopoly.

One of the recent winners is considering retirement now, though, with their next venture post-playing already lined up.

Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema considering hanging up boots

According to Spanish outlet Relevo, Karim Benzema is considering retiring at the end of the 2024/25 season. The report suggests that he is growing tired of having to train in the evenings in Saudi Arabia because the sun isn’t as strong, while he’s also mentally fatigued just simply playing in the Middle East.

Now 36, Benzema’s contract with Al-Ittihad is set to expire in 2026. The Saudi giants expect the Frenchman to call time on his playing career in 18 months as a result, but there’s a strong possibility that it happens a lot earlier than anticipated.

Benzema moved to Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023 after a trophy-laden 14 years at Real Madrid, where he won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copa del Reys – not to mention the 2022 Ballon d’Or after a dominant season in the Spanish capital.

But while he would be giving up a reported €100m in Saudi Arabia by retiring a year early, Benzema would be able to join back up with Los Blancos. Indeed, he already has an agreement in place to join Real Madrid as an ambassador when he does finally hang up his boots, which could come a lot sooner than first expected.

The role would see him represent the club in the Arab region of the world, helping further raise the profile of Real Madrid. His 354 goals in 648 games would certainly enable him to do that.

In FourFourTwo‘s view, it seems likely that Benzema could retire at the end of the current campaign. With an agreement already in place to return to Real Madrid, he might simply prefer living in Spain and want to make that process happen quicker.

Regardless, he’s by no means struggling at Al-Ittihad, with his 10 goals and three assists in 10 Saudi Pro League games proving his worth this term.

Caleb Williams is finding life in the NFL challenging. His rookie season, which he’d hoped to dominate, quickly got out of his hands as the Bears kept registering loss after loss. However, Skip Bayless remains optimistic about the kid.

In the game against the Vikings, Williams finished with 191 yards and one touchdown but completed just 18 of 31 passes. The Bears failed to score a single point in the first half. However, the usually skeptical Bayless gave Caleb some grace and showed faith in his abilities on X:

“Caleb Williams makes some big-time throws and some wild-high head-scratchers. He’s a rookie starter for a sorry franchise. But he’s going to be very good.”

 

He highlighted the rookie’s ability to make big plays and flashes of brilliance while acknowledging the poor decisions that reflect his inexperience.

Despite the growing pains, Skip remains confident that Williams will live up to the promise and hype surrounding him, even as he plays for a franchise with a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to developing quarterbacks.

So why has Williams struggled this season? Is it just decision-making or something to do with his confidence?

Williams’s struggles this season go beyond the O-Line

The young quarterback has struggled to maintain consistency—often faltering on simple plays while still delivering a few eye-catching throws. The Bears failed to score a single point in the first half against the Vikings, something that has been their story throughout the season.

The offense has struggled with slow starts, often leaving too much ground to cover in the second half. However, it would be unfair to place all the blame on Williams, as the play-calling has also left much to be desired.

That said, issues with his execution are evident. He has been slow to release the ball, often holding onto it too long, which has led to broken plays and stalled drives.

Offensive line struggles have added to his problems. A great O-line is the rookie’s best friend. Unfortunately, the Bears haven’t been able to provide that to him. He has been sacked 56 times in 14 games. Many of those sacks have come on third downs. While the O-line deserves some blame, Williams has sometimes taken avoidable sacks by failing to not throw the ball to open receivers.

Caleb hasn’t been turning the ball over which is a good sign. However, he needs to stop playing safe all the time and make some risky high-reward throws.

This isn’t new for the Bears though. They have historically been unable to get the best of the QBs they have drafted. Some of the names include Justin Fields, Mitch Trubisky, Rex Grossman, Cade McGown, and even Jim Harbaugh. They need to do better so as not to add Caleb Williams to that list.

Chicago needs to get their star QB- a proper Offensive Line and a Head Coach who can harvest his potential.

Time for a football quiz – it’s all about the League Cup!

With the Premier League and European football given priority, many of the biggest clubs don’t take the League Cup as seriously as they once did.

It’s often used as an opportunity to rotate players and give youth a chance, opening the door to those from lower divisions.

This year’s quarter-final ties featured one representative from the Championship and another from League One. 

But what about previous seasons? How many of the 192 quarter-finalists can you name since 2000?

12 minutes on the clock, 192 teams to guess.

Remember to tweet your scores @FourFourTwo and share with your mates.

We use Kwizly for our quizzes – find out more here 

Can’t see this quiz? Play it here

Quiz! Can you name every nation to win a men’s football medal at the Olympic Games since 1900?

Quiz! How many questions can you get right in our Thierry Henry quiz?

Quiz! Who wore this England kit?

Quiz! Can you name Jurgen Klopp’s 30 most expensive signings ever?

Quiz! How well do you know Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo?

Jordan Poole scored a game-high 31 points at Capital One Arena in the Washington Wizards’ 104-130 loss against the Boston Celtics. But the 25-year-old still received a lot of flak for his embarrassing blunder with about six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Former NBA star Austin Rivers used the flub to underline exactly why the Golden State Warriors traded him to the Wizards.

The 32-year-old was talking about the chances of Wizards star Kyle Kuzma’s potential return to the Lakers when his co-host brought up Poole’s blooper on Sunday night against Boston. This triggered Rivers to go into an impassioned rant on the unnecessary antics of the 2022 NBA Champion that has already hurt his image substantially in the league.

The former Clippers star thinks these kinds of embarrassing gaffes are the exact reason why he is not taken seriously in the league despite his talent.

“Silly sh*t. Silly sh*t. Silliness, bro…I saw the clip. The whole comment section is like, ‘This is why you’re not in Golden State anymore.’ This is why your career went from like this [gestures upward trajectory] to now you’re in DC doing something nobody even cares about,” Rivers said.

The play in question took place when the Celtics had a 79-63 lead over the Wizards. Poole came down with the ball from the right flank and pumped his brakes just outside the three-point line. This move managed to break Payton Pritchard’s ankles, who had anticipated a drive to the basket.

 

But instead of shooting the uncontested three, Poole stood there pointing at Pritchard laying in the ground to sort of celebrate the smooth move. In the meantime, Sam Hauser closed in on the Wizards guard, forcing him to pass the basketball without converting the move into a bucket.

This humiliating move is not one of a kind, Poole’s stint in Washington has been adorned with many such bloopers. That’s part of the reason why he is often the target of online memes and jokes despite averaging a decent 20.3 points and 5.1 assists on 43.4% shooting for the Wizards.

Even though he had some sharp words to say about the 25-year-old, Rivers does think that JP is wasting his talent in Washington. He believes the youngster needs to go to a team with a strong system to revive his career, where he can be part of an apparatus that can discipline his whims on the court.

The retired NBA star suggested a team like the San Antonio Spurs or the Miami Heat, where he will be hurled into a rigid system with little to no freedom to operate based on his eccentricities. Rivers brought up the example of Tyler Herro to show what discipline can do to a young player.

Now it’s uncertain if Poole would leave the comfort and low expectations of Washington to endure the rigors of a strict team culture.

Kelly Cates is heavily rumoured to be leaving SkySports to join BBC Match of the Day as one of Gary Lineker’s successors. Cates, who is the daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is mooted to be one of three rotating Match of the Day presenters next season.

Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan complete the trio, with an official announcement expected to follow in the new year. Lineker confirmed he would be standing down as host of Match of the Day at the end of the season, having performed the role for 25 years.

The 2026 World Cup will mark the end of his contract. It’s a huge opportunity for Cates who earned her break in TV as one of the original SkySports News presenters in 1998.

FourFourTwo sat down with her to discuss her relationship with football, from growing up watching her dad play to presenting at World Cup Finals.

What was the first game that you ever saw live?
Kelly Cates: « I have no recollection at all. When I was a baby, mum used to take me to Celtic, but women and kids weren’t allowed in because it was the ’70s – we used to wait outside with the fans for my dad to come out, so we could go home with him. When we moved to England, my mum didn’t know anybody, she had a two-year-old and a six-month-old, so we would go to the Liverpool games with her. »

Apart from the very obvious answer, who were your childhood heroes?
KC: « I never really saw footballers as heroes, maybe until I got quite a lot older and dad moved away from it, so I got some distance from it. I always loved to watch Robbie Fowler. I don’t think I’d ever say Robbie was a hero, because that would be awkward if I bumped into him now! But for me, I needed that distance from it, otherwise they’re just people. »

What was it like growing up as the daughter of a football legend?
KC: « It’s weird being asked about it still when you’re nearly 50! [Smiles] My life, apart from my dad’s job, was normal. Being
 a footballer’s daughter then wasn’t like being a footballer’s kid now – there just wasn’t the attention in the same way. My life was genuinely not that unusual and football wasn’t a big part of my life – only once every two weeks. »

Do you have any special memories of that time, being around football?
KC: « When you’re really small, you don’t care too much about the football. My main memories are of going into the players’ lounge, a big room with a bar at one end, and people would bring round sandwiches – it felt like heaven to me, because we got to run wild after the game! Ronnie Whelan taught me to blow bubbles in my Coke to make it extra frothy. I do remember Liverpool winning trophies, going to Wembley, and dad’s last game when he came on as substitute, but they’re all just a blur. »

What was your finest moment from playing football yourself?
KC: « I never played, other than occasionally in somebody’s back garden. I remember going on holiday when I was 11 or 12 – we were all having a kickabout on this gravel tennis court. I had this vision in my head when someone passed the ball to me that I was running down the wing, but I skidded and tripped, scraped all my elbow, all up my leg and knocked myself out. If I ever needed a sign that it wasn’t for me, that was it… »

Your brother Paul was a footballer.
KC: « His way of dealing with being dad’s son was to be extra loud and to be funny. Because of that he probably wasn’t dealing with it properly, so when he moved to the States, that was brilliant for him and gave him a chance to grow in his own way. Dad went over when he won the MLS Cup and told him, “This is better than anything I’ve ever won.” He genuinely felt the emotion of that more than anything else – when it’s your kid, it’s like, ‘This is incredible’. »

Why did you go into broadcasting?
KC: « I was doing a maths degree and didn’t want anything to do with it. Then Sky Sports News was starting, and they just hired a load of 20-somethings and graduates. They went, ‘We’ve got this new 24-hour sports TV channel to fill, we need s**tloads of people and we don’t really care if you know what you’re doing, as long as you like your sport and know a bit about football’. We all turned up, there were a couple of grown-ups keeping us in check, then it was chaos for the first two years. We had a ball – you don’t realise how much you’re learning together. It was lucky timing. »

Where’s the best place that you’ve ever watched a game?
KC: « When we went to Qatar, there was so much controversy beforehand – and there should have been because of what happened with the construction around the tournament. It was really difficult to cover and get the balance right. We had a night off and went to Argentina against Mexico at the Lusail Stadium – everything there felt quite sterile, quite forced, then the Argentina and Mexico fans appeared and it was like, ‘Oh my god, this fixture feels like a World Cup’. It felt like watching old ’70s footage on YouTube, it was just so intense. I hadn’t been to a match when both teams were from the Americas, and suddenly that performative side
 of it – the rolling around, the playing to the crowd and arms in the air – all made sense. I absolutely loved it. »

Do you have a favourite football book?
KC: « Unsuitable For Females by Carrie Dunn, about the rise of the Lionesses. Carrie always writes very well about women’s football, she’s really knowledgeable and has the ear of lots of women across the game. I love her writing. »

Who’s your favourite player who has never played for Liverpool?
KC: « I always loved watching Wayne Rooney. I liked the fact he was sometimes a bit angry. He could do the flash stuff, but he wasn’t flash, if that makes any sense. »

Was it different for you when your dad went back to manage Liverpool, compared to his first spell in charge?
KC: « When he went back as manager, I was working and thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got to cover this’. It was tricky. I think management is stressful, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. Sometimes when you get pundits in who are trying to get into management or trying to get back into it, I think, ‘Why?’ I get that it pays well, but they don’t need that stress – it’s not a nice job when everybody else in the world thinks they’re better at it than you. When dad managed Liverpool the second time, I think it worked well, though – they needed reminding who they were, and they won the League Cup. Jamie Carragher said they’d won trophies before, but the finals were at the Millennium Stadium, so they got their Wembley moment. »

Which Liverpool player would have made the best TV presenter?
KC: « John Barnes did it with Channel Five, but I’d say better pundit than presenter – he’s the one who’d be the best. Carra could present easily, Jamie Redknapp as well. The rest were from an era where the trick was not to give too much away and not to be too helpful to the media. »

One of the most decorated players in English football history – Lucy Bronze has won nearly every trophy there is to win

Arguably the most successful English player of all-time, for the last decade, Bronze has been at the heart of the England women’s team, helping turn the Lionesses into an international force.

The 33-year-old has represented some of the biggest clubs in the world along the way, and currently plays for reigning WSL champions Chelsea. But how did she get to where she is today?

Lucy Bronze: Her career so far

Lucy Bronze is seventh on the all time list for most capped women’s internationals. Her first appearance was back in 2013, just before Euro 2013, in a friendly against the then-world champions Japan.

But England were fortunate to get Bronze. As a holder of dual nationality, she could have also played for Portugal – who tried to get her into their national pool when she was 16. Bronze was also eligible to play for Scotland through relatives on her mother’s side.

Despite her successful career with England, her big career break came in America. Bronze moved to North Carolina to study at the age of 17 and also played for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

She later transferred back to England to complete her education at Leeds Met University, writing a dissertation on ACL injuries in women’s sport. To support her through her studies Bronze worked at Domino’s Pizza – and is still able to get free pizza to this day!

Following her first WSL spells on Merseyside, with Everton and Liverpool, Bronze’s big career-changing moment came in the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

On the way to finishing third place in Canada, Bronze scored a stunning winner against Norway which gave the Lionesses their first-ever knockout win at the finals, before also scoring in the quarter-final against Canada.

VIDEO How Will Lauren James Change Women’s Football Forever

The same year the full-back also joined Manchester City, with regular Champions League football and a WSL title following, as she quickly established herself as a world-class operator.

Another outstanding year in 2017 – when Bronze was included in the Euro 2017 team of the tournament and won the FA Cup with City – saw her catch the attention of French giants Lyon. A successful three-year spell followed with Bronze winning three straight Champions Leagues, two as part of Lyon winning the treble.

Seeking a return to England Bronze joined Manchester City, two years ahead of what proved to be her international career highlight – the Lionesses winning a first major trophy on home soil at Euro 2022.

A spell in sunny Barcelona was next, Bronze winning two Spanish titles and two further Champions Leagues becoming the first English player to lift five European cups.

Now Bronze has returned to England, joining WSL champions Chelsea ahead of the 2024-25 season, with the goal of winning Europe’s top prize with an English team.

Irish super welterweight boxing prospect Callum Walsh just took some real shots at YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Calling the younger Paul brother a “p**sy”, he said that while he doesn’t see the fight ever happening, if it does materialize, he would knock him out.

Walsh, who has been supported by Dana White in all his professional endeavors for a while now, has claimed that he is a loyal man and thanked the UFC President for changing his life. The 23-year-old boxer has asserted that the UFC bossman had gone out of his way to change his life.

“Everybody talks sh*t about Dana but I don’t even have a contract with him. Dana makes no money from me… but the man has changed my life. He has done so many things for me behind the scenes. Sponsorship money, you know his Howler Head Whiskey sponsors me.”

It is because of these reasons that Walsh is willing to fight Jake and put him to sleep.

“I am a very loyal person. What Dana has done for me, I will remember that for the rest of my life. And if there’s anything I can ever do for Dana, I will, you know. And Jake Paul, talking sh*t about me, talking sh*t about Dana, I will fight him. No problem. Not an issue. I feel like I would knock him out too.”

Walsh understands that he will have to put on a few to be in the same weight class as Paul but claims it will be an easy training camp for him. The Irish boxer believes that if the fight were to happen, Paul would want to fight him at 190 lbs or 2000 lbs. He is at 180 lbs right now, so a camp will see him just eat, lift, and train as hard as he can.

This would be stark in contrast to when he has to struggle to cut down to 154 lbs for his fights.

However, he also believes that since White doesn’t want to do any business with Paul, this would have to be a bare-knuckle event.

However, Paul might not agree to that either. After all, why would he want to fight an up-and-comer when he has world champions knocking on his doors?

Jake spoilt for choice

Paul’s fight with Mike Tyson was a drag, to say the least. Tyson at 58 was never going to be a challenge to someone 30 years his junior. But the event was sold on the back of Instagram reels marinading in the nostalgia of Tyson reverting to his old primal self from the 90s. In these reels, Tyson looked sharp and his punches made bone-chilling noises.

And it is due to this very reason and the fact that Netflix streamed the event, that the Paul-Tyson card at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas achieved an incredible $17.8 million gate, dethroning Canelo Alvarez’s $9 million for a Non-Vegas gate.

Since then, Paul has been bombarded with callouts from boxing champions like Daniel Dubois and Artur Beterbiev.

&nbs

So, Paul has a lot of choices, right now. Even if he doesn’t take on these world champions and for good reason, he still has the option of going 12 rounds with names that will fetch him the top dollar!

So, no, it doesn’t look like Callum Walsh is going to get his heart’s desire and commit his perceived act of vengeance for Mr. White.

The World Cup was first played in 1930 and the 13-team tournament was won by hosts Uruguay.

Paused due to the Second World War and its aftermath, there were no editions in 1942 or 1946.

But the World Cup returned in Brazil 1950, with Uruguay champions for the second time. And Qatar 2022, disputed by 24 teams and won by Argentina, was the 22nd edition of the tournament.

Here, a look at the players who scored the opening goals at the men’s World Cup…

Lucien Laurent (1930)

On July 13th, 1930, Lucien Laurent scored a volley for France against Mexico at the Estadio Pocitos in Montevideo.

It was the World Cup’s first-ever goal and set France on their way to a 4-1 win. Laurent, an inside right, went on to play just 10 times for Les Bleus. He scored only one more goal and missed the 1934 World cup through injury.

Ernesto Belis (1934)

The 1934 World Cup featured 16 teams and went straight into the knockout stages.

All last-16 matches kicked off at the same time and the earliest goal was scored by Argentina’s Ernesto Belis after just four minutes against Sweden, but the South Americans went on to lose 3-2 in Bologna.

Josef Gauchel (1938)

Germany played Switzerland in the opening match of the 1938 World Cup at the Parc des Princes and the contest finished 1-1.

Josef Gauchel gave Germany the lead and in doing so, scored the tournament’s first goal, but Switzerland later levelled and won a replay 4-2 five days later.

Ademir (1950)

Hosts Brazil kicked off the 1950 World Cup in style by beating Mexico 4-0 at the Maracanã on June 24th, with Ademir scoring twice.

The former Vasco da Gama and Fluminense forward went on to score seven times in the tournament, including four in a 7-1 thrashing of Sweden, but Brazil lost the decisive match 2-1 to Uruguay in a huge upset at the Maracanã.

Miloš Milutinović (1954)

Four group games started at the same time as the 1954 World Cup in France kicked off on June 16th of that year.

Yugoslavia’s Miloš Milutinović was the first player to score, netting after 15 minutes against France in Lausanne. Yugoslavia went on to reach the quarter-finals, losing 2-0 to eventual champions Germany.

Oreste Corbatta (1958)

Argentina’s Oreste Corbatta scored the first goal of the 1958 World Cup, firing the South Americans into the lead after just three minutes against West Germany in Malmö.

But Argentina went on to lose 3-1 and were eliminated in the group stages. Brazil won the trophy, beating hosts Sweden in the final.

Héctor Facundo (1962)

The 1962 World Cup kicked off with four group games played at the same time and those matches featured 10 goals in total.

Argentina’s Héctor Facundo scored the first after just four minutes in a 1-0 win over Bulgaria, but the South Americans were knocked out in the group stages on goal difference.

Pelé (1966)

Pelé considered retiring from football after Brazil were subjected to some brutal fouls at the 1966 World Cup.

The defending champions went out in the group stages, but had started with a 2-0 win over Bulgaria, with Pelé scoring the tournament’s first goal with a free-kick after 15 minutes. That was a minute earlier than West Germany’s Siggi Held in a 5-0 win over Switzerland played at the same time. A day earlier, England and Uruguay drew 0-0 in the tournament’s opening game.

Dinko Dermendzhiev (1970)

Having been on the receiving end of the World Cup’s first goal in 1966, Bulgaria scored the tournament’s opener four years later.

Striker Dinko Dermendzhiev netted after 13 minutes against Peru, but the South Americans went on to win the game 3-2 and Bulgaria were knocked out in the group stages. Hosts Mexico had drawn 0-0 with the Soviet Union in the tournament’s opening game a couple of days earlier.

Paul Breitner (1974)

After Brazil and Yugoslavia had drawn 0-0 in the 1974 World Cup’s opening game, Paul Breitner scored the tournament’s opening goal in a 1-0 win for West Germany against Chile the following day.

The midfielder hit a fierce drive into the top corner from around 30 yards out to set West Germany on their way and also scored a penalty in the final as Die Mannschaft beat the Netherlands 2-1 to take the trophy for a second time.

Bernard Lacombe (1978)

West Germany and Poland played out a 0-0 draw in the 1978 World Cup’s opening game, but a goal arrived quickly in the tournament’s second match.

Bernard Lacombe scored for France against Italy after just 36 seconds in one of the World’s Cup’s quickest-ever goals, but Les Bleus were beaten 2-1 in Mar del Plata and went out behind the Azzurri and eventual champions Argentina in the group stages.

Erwin Vandenbergh (1982)

Diego Maradona suffered defeat on his World Cup debut as Belgium beat Argentina 1-0 in Barcelona.

Erwin Vandenbergh scored the only goal of the game as the Red Devils came out on top at Camp Nou. The two teams went through, but were both knocked out in the second group stage.

Alessandro Altobelli (1986)

Italy kicked off the defence of their World Cup title against Bulgaria at the 1986 edition in Mexico.

Defender Alessandro Altobelli gave the Azzurri the lead with the tournament’s first goal, but Nasko Sirakov levelled late in the game and the Italians went out to France in the last 16.

François Omam-Biyik (1990)

Cameroon stunned Argentina and Diego Maradona by beating the defending champions in the 1990 World Cup’s opening fixture.

François Omam-Biyik headed the only goal of the game with an effort that goalkeeper Nery Pumpido should have saved. Cameroon went on to reach the last eight, while Argentina rallied and made it all the way to the final.

Jürgen Klinsmann (1994)

Germany kicked off the 1994 World Cup with a 1-0 win over Bolivia in the tournament’s opening game.

Jürgen Klinsmann scored the only goal in Chicago with a simple finish into an empty net after Thomas Hässler had controlled a long ball from the German defence and left Bolivia goalkeeper Carlos Trucco floored outside his area.

César Sampaio (1998)

Brazil took just five minutes to open their account at the 1998 World Cup, with César Sampaio’s shoulder giving the South Americans the lead following a corner against Scotland at the Stade de France.

Sampaio later conceded a penalty as Brazil won 2-1, with the Seleção beaten 3-0 in the final by France a month later.

Papa Bouba Diop (2002)

Senegal stunned defending champions and pre-tournament favourites France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup.

Papa Bouba Diop scored the only goal of the game as Senegal produced a huge upset in Seoul. The Lions of Teranga went on to make the quarter-finals, while France – missing Zinédine Zidane for their first two games – were eliminated in the group stages.

Philipp Lahm (2006)

Germany faced Costa Rica at the Allianz Arena in the opening match of the 2006 World Cup and the hosts took an early lead in Munich.

Philipp Lahm picked up the ball on the left, cut into the area and curled an unstoppable drive into the top corner off the post. Germany went on to make the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Italy in extra time.

Siphiwe Tshabalala (2010)

Siphiwe Tshabalala got the party started in South Africa with the opening goal in the 2010 World Cup.

With the tournament taking place in the African continent for the first time, Tshabalala blasted a left-footed drive into the top corner following a quick counter-attack. The two teams went on to draw 1-1 and South Africa were ultimately knocked out in the group stages on goal difference.

Marcelo (2014)

The first goal of the 2014 World Cup was registered by Croatia, but it was not scored by a Croatian.

Brazil’s Marcelo deflected the ball into the net in the tournament’s opening game, which the hosts went on to win 3-1 in São Paulo. It was the first time in World Cup history that the tournament’s first goal had been an own goal.

Yury Gazinsky (2018)

Russia exceeded expectations at the 2018 World Cup, finishing second in their group behind Uruguay and going on to make the quarter-finals after beating Spain on penalties in the last 16.

The hosts thrashed Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the tournament’s opening game. Midfielder Yury Gazinsky scored the first goal with a header after just 12 minutes in Moscow.

Enner Valencia (2022)

Hosts Qatar were beaten 2-0 by Ecuador in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup.

Enner Valencia netted both times for the South Americans, opening the scoring with the tournament’s first goal – a penalty after just 16 minutes at the Al Bayt Stadium.

The UFC’s welterweight division is one of the most talent-stacked and competitive weight classes in the sport, but Daniel Cormier believes one name has the potential to rise above the rest: Jack Della Maddalena. 

Overlooking other rising stars like Ian Garry, Sean Brady, and Carlos Prates, Cormier singled out the Australian as the most marketable fighter at 170 pounds. With his exciting, fan-friendly fighting style, highlight-reel finishes, and undeniable charisma, Della Maddalena has all the tools to become a major star.

Cormier’s pick isn’t surprising for those who’ve followed Della Maddalena’s rapid climb up the ranks. He’s delivered consistently thrilling performances inside the Octagon, showing knockout power, sharp boxing, and a calm presence that fans and analysts love.

For Cormier, it’s not just about skills—it’s about star power, and Della Maddalena has it in spades. DC believes If he keeps winning, the Aussie could soon become the face of the welterweight division.

During the recent ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ show, Cormier explained how the Aussie has all the ingredients, and how the UFC would work on building him into a bonafide global attraction. 

“You get a guy like Jack Della Maddalena who has an entire country behind him, that everybody is excited about, they (UFC) will find a way to get him into the position if he earns it. If I am being honest with you, at 170, the most marketable guy is as a champion right now is Jack Della Maddalena.”

The UFC has not had a global star since the prime days of Conor McGregor. It’s a sad state of affairs that despite having last fought 3 years ago, the Irishman remains the biggest draw for the company. So, to say that the UFC knows how to build big stars is a bit of a stretch.

However, Maddalena could be the exception to that rule.

A closer look at Maddalena’s career so far

Della Maddalena made his promotional debut at UFC 270 in January 2022, securing a first-round TKO victory over Pete Rodriguez.

Since then, he has continued to showcase his striking prowess, earning multiple Performance of the Night bonuses. Notable wins include a first-round TKO against Ramazan Emeev at UFC 275 in June 2022 and a first-round submission victory over Randy Brown at UFC 284 in February 2023.

His most recent bout was a third-round TKO win against Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 in March 2024, further solidifying his status as a rising star in the division.

At this point in time, JDM is currently looking for a fight and the rumors suggest that he might be taking on Kamaru Usman when the UFC returns to Australia in February 2025. 

A win over arguably the greatest welterweight champion since Georges St-Pierre is certain to put him on the map for top contenders in the division. He might be very raw right now, with a lot of fighters far ahead of him but as it often happens in the UFC, it’s one’s ability to sell tickets that trumps off.

If Madallena can keep winning and bringing out hordes of Aussies where he goes, he might legitimately become everything DC has hyped him up to be.