Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman has given updates on injuries to Mary Earps and Niamh Charles as England prepare for two crucial Euro 2025 qualifiers.

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Calf issue ruled Charles out of last England campWhile Earps limped off in defeat to France Wiegman updates on both before crucial qualifiersWHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea star Charles was unable to feature in either of the Lionesses' games against France in the last international break due to a calf problem while Earps picked up a hip injury just minutes into the first of those two matches, cruelly and prematurely ending her 50th appearance for her country.

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Though Lauren James, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Kayla Rendell have been unable to join up with the England squad this week before games against Ireland and Sweden, continuing their respective rehab programmes with club, Charles and Earps have been able to join this camp and Wiegman has elaborated on the parts they will be able to play.

WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

Speaking in her press conference on Thursday, the England coach said "everyone’s in a good place" when discussing the fitness of the squad. When asked if there are no concerns over Earps and Charles then, Wiegman replied: "No, no concerns but coming from where especially Niamh comes, we know she can’t play two games of 90 minutes."

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DID YOU KNOW?

England go into this international break knowing that two wins will secure automatic qualification for next summer's Euros, at which they will be the defending champions. If they fall short, playoffs will beckon in the final few months of 2024.

The controversial decision to award England a penalty in the first half of their semi-final clash with the Netherlands has been explained.

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• England given controversial penalty
• Neville slammed 'disgraceful' decision
• VAR expert explains why it was given

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Denzel Dumfries thought he'd escaped without punishment after colliding with Harry Kane inside the area in the 14th minute, but referee Felix Zwayer reversed his decision to give a goal kick after being told by the VAR to consult his monitor. Gary Neville called it "a disgraceful decision", while Jamie Carragher wrote on X: "Never a penalty". But Gareth Southgate and Kane didn't care as the England captain stepped up from 12 yards to make it 1-1.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  VAR expert Dale Johnson has explained why the VAR, Bastian Dankert, intervened. According to Johnson, the manner of Dumfries' challenge – with his studs raised – caused the reversal of Zwayer's initial call.

• WHAT JOHNSON SAID

  "Why has Dankert advised a penalty? He has taken the nature of Dumfries' challenge, leading with the studs as opposed to making an attempt to kick through the ball, as being reckless – which is why the Netherlands' player was booked," Johnson explained. "And that's the one area where a defender catching an attacker after a shot can be seeing as a penalty – when it's reckless or dangerous."

  Johnson also believes the VAR was persuaded by Kane staying down in pain.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE NETHERLANDS AND ENGLAND?

  Ollie Watkins' late strike sealed a 2-1 win for England, who are through to the European Championship final for the second tournament running. Ronald Koeman will no doubt have something to say about the earlier penalty decision which sparked England's turnaround.

It's been a rather brutal month or so on the injury front for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United. First, centre-back Lisandro Martinez suffered a devastating setback in the form of a "serious" knee injury that will rule him out until April.

Elsewhere, right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka was on the comeback trail but then had to be taken out of training after encountering an issue and, this week, it emerged that left-back Luke Shaw is facing "a few months" out with a muscular problem in more "bad news".

It hasn't stopped there, with United confirming on Friday that striker Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be out for two to three weeks after picking up a muscle injury of his own.

Hojlund injury a "real blow" to Man Utd

BBC Sport's Phil McNulty has offered his reaction to the news, sharing a post from United's official X/Twitter page, noting that it comes at a particularly bad time given the player's recent momentum.

Red-hot Hojlund will miss Manchester derby

It's no exaggeration to say that Hojlund has been one of the best players in the Premier League this calendar year. After failing to score at all in the competition until Boxing Day, he'd found the net in each of his last six appearances – a feat only Eric Cantona (1995/96), Ruud van Nistelrooy (three times) and Cristiano Ronaldo (07/08) had previously managed for the Red Devils – and bagged his first top-flight brace in the 2-1 win over Luton Town last time out. Overall, the Dane was on an explosive run of eight in eight in all competitions.

Man Utd plot bid for Hojlund partner who'd be the biggest coup since CR7

The star would become Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first big signing.

By
Tom Lever

Feb 23, 2024

No Premier League player has been directly involved in more goals since the turn of the year than his eight, but as you can see in the table below, he'll miss the next three games in the division.

The one that stands out here, of course, is the Manchester derby a week on Sunday, a game for which United probably felt increasingly confident after a five-match winning run in all competitions. While Ten Hag's side can realistically afford to lose at the Etihad in their push for Champions League qualification, they need to be picking up maximum points against 12th-place Fulham and 17th-place Everton to make up for it. In the absence of Hojlund, Marcus Rashford will simply have to step up, but he's only scored five times this season.

Australia’s victories so far have been huge ones, but Sri Lanka have a good record at MCG

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan31-Oct-2019

Big pictureMargins of 134 runs and nine wickets (with seven overs to spare) have made the opening two matches of this series horrendously one-sided.David Warner has filled his boots while Aaron Finch, Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell, who has now sadly stepped away from the game for a period of time, profited from time in the middle. But Australia’s middle order has barely needed to pad up. The bowling has been impressive although has hardly been tested by some insipid Sri Lanka batting.So it’s on to Melbourne for the final match, a place where Sri Lanka have enjoyed some success against Australia in this format with two wins from two matches. They should have strong support, so hopefully those things combined can help rouse them from their slumber, although it may not be enough to bridge the gap – or chasm – that appears to exist between the two teams.Quite how much Australia are learning is a moot point, but they have certainly looked a slick outfit with the makings of a team that could be formidable on home soil in next year’s T20 World Cup. It would be interesting to see how the likes of Ashton Turner, Alex Carey and Ashton Agar respond under some pressure with the bat, but can Sri Lanka get them in that position?Form guide(last five completed matches)
Australia WWWWL
Sri Lanka LLWWWIn the spotlightBilly Stanlake made an excellent return to Australia colours with 2 for 23 on a Gabba pitch that provided him with plenty of bounce. It’s not very often you see a short leg in place during a T20I, regardless of how much the opposition is struggling. The question for Australia is how they fit him in when all first-choice players are available – Kane Richardson would seem the most vulnerable.It might sound harsh just a few weeks after a 3-0 series win in Pakistan, but the whole Sri Lanka team is under the scanner after these two matches. The highest individual score is 27 and they have managed three wickets in total, while conceding 10.63 runs per over. You would hope the only way is up from there.Team newsMaxwell’s withdrawal from the squad means that Ben McDermott is likely to bat at No. 4. The other decision to make is whether to rotate any of the pace bowlers.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Ben McDermott, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Billy StanlakeSri Lanka made three changes in the previous match so may well see this as a chance for more mixing and matching given they have been so heavily beaten both times. Kusal Mendis has made scores of 0 and 1 opening the batting.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Kusal Mendis, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Aviska Fernando, 4 Kusal Perera (wk), 5 Niroshan Dickwella, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt), 11 Nuwan PradeepPitch and conditionsThe MCG has come under significant scrutiny for its pitches over the last couple of years and there has been extensive work done to try and revilatise them. A T20I will probably not give a full picture of how things will play, but it should be an early indication. Weather-wise, it’s been a hot few days in Melbourne and it’s expected to touch the low-30s again on Friday.Stats and Trivia Warner needs 63 runs to have the most in a bilateral T20I series – the record is currently held by Colin Munro with 223. Sri Lanka’s two previous T20Is at the MCG were a two-run victory in 2013 and a last-ball five-wicket win in 2017. Australia have one previous 3-0 win a T20I series, against England in 2013-14.

MatériaMais Notícias

Hugo Cajuda, empresário de Abel Ferreira, saiu em defesa do técnico português após críticas feitas pelo presidente da Federação Paulista de Futebol, Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, em entrevista à TV Gazeta, sobre as falas do comandante alviverde em relação ao estadual.

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Em entrevista ao UOL Esporte, Hugo salientou que a fala do mandatário da FPF é algo “anormal”. O agente considera que “não é trabalho do Reinaldo analisar as palavras de Abel na imprensa”

– Ele poderia usar esse tempo para cuidar do próprio trabalho. Qual é o trabalho? Programar e decidir, juntamente com a CBF, a melhor forma de organizar um calendário que protegesse e valorizasse o futebol, o jogador e o treinador no Brasil. É uma pena o senhor presidente da FPF ficar preocupado com as palavras do Abel, ao invés de olhar para as próprias obrigações – disse.

O empresário ainda aproveitou para elogiar o trabalho de Abel Ferreira no Palmeiras e falar o futuro do técnico e uma possível ida para a Europa no futuro.

– O Abel já recebeu diferentes ofertas para sair do Palmeiras, de vários países. Propostas que, de certa forma, pagavam três ou quatro vezes mais de salário. Mas, neste momento, ele está focado só no Palmeiras. Penso que o clube também está muito contente com ele, a forma de trabalhar e os resultados. Ao mesmo tempo, o cenário de um clube da Europa também é válido e possível, porque, efetivamente, dois clubes da Europa já fizeram oferta pelo Abel. No futuro, isso vai voltar a acontecer – finalizou Hugo.

Abel Ferreira chegou ao Palmeiras em Novembro de 2020 e, em menos de quatro meses de trabalho, conquistou os títulos da Libertadores e Copa do Brasil. O treinador português tem contrato com o Verdão até dezembro de 2022.

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Glasgow Rangers are having a season to remember, made even more remarkable considering their dismal performances during the opening stages.

Under Michael Beale, the Ibrox side was heading towards a crisis, no doubt about it. They had crashed out of the Champions League at the final qualifying stages while slipping eight points behind Celtic after just seven Premiership matches.

Philippe Clement took over from the sacked Englishman and has rejuvenated the club over the previous six months, leading the Gers to the verge of a stunning treble success.

Not only has he installed a new-found belief among the squad, but his business in the transfer window has got the Ibrox faithful excited about the future.

Several young talents have arrived in the shape of Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes, indicating that this could be the direction the Belgian will go during the summer window.

While he signed three players, the Gers also missed out on a couple of targets, but this story is as old as time, with previous managers also failing to secure a player they had earmarked.

Even the late great Walter Smith occasionally missed out on the odd player or two whom he had hoped to lure to Ibrox in the hopes of securing European glory to go along with their domestic dominance.

Walter Smith's biggest transfer regret at Rangers

During the 1996/97 campaign, Smith led Rangers to a historic ninth league title in a row, but thoughts soon turned to how he could improve his squad ahead of the following season.

A few years ago, a documentary was released surrounding Ronaldo’s exit from Barcelona in the summer of 1997 and his former agent was on hand to claim that the Light Blues showed a stunning interest in bringing the striker to Ibrox.

"We had nothing against the renewal of Ronaldo with Barca, but we wanted to avoid image contracts and complicated situations,” said Giovanni Branchini, Ronaldo’s agent.

"While the negotiations remained stalled, we observed the interest shown by Lazio, Inter and Glasgow Rangers.”

Despite winning the previous nine titles in a row, Rangers had largely struggled in Europe during this run. They came within a goal of securing a place in the 1993 Champions League final, but that was as close as they would come to achieving glory on the continent.

Signing Ronaldo would certainly have bolstered these ambitions, and the Gers were reportedly even willing to let the Brazilian icon sit out domestic games in their chase for European success.

"The offer from Glasgow Rangers was incredible. They told us he didn’t have to play on a Saturday in the Scottish League,” claimed Branchini.

“They were desperate to win the Champions League and were going to allow him to play in the European matches only.”

It still sounds incredible that Ronaldo – who totalled €99.5m (£85m) in transfer fees during his career – could have rocked up at Ibrox, but he ended up joining Inter Milan instead.

Ronaldo’s career statistics

The two-time World Cup winner has often been revered as one of the greatest strikers of all time, and he was utterly incredible while in full flight.

He's earned a vast amount of praise in his life with Lionel Messi once notably saying: "Ronaldo was my hero. He was the best striker I’ve ever seen. He was so fast he could score from nothing, and could shoot the ball better than anyone.”

Across his career, the “phenomenon” – as so dubbed by Gus Poyet – scored a total of 298 club career goals in 454 matches. Add to this another 62 goals in 99 appearances for the Brazilian national team, and it is clear to see why many regard him as the greatest.

If it weren’t for his various knee injuries, Ronaldo would have scored another couple of hundred goals, without a shadow of a doubt, while it is a testament to his resilience that he came back from a career-ending injury to lead Brazil to the 2002 World Cup.

Real Madrid

177

103

Inter Milan

99

59

PSV Eindhoven

57

54

Barcelona

49

47

Corinthians

42

24

AC Milan

20

9

Cruzeiro

10

2

Via Transfermarkt

Rangers failed to win any trophies throughout the 1997/98 campaign as Smith departed that summer, being replaced by Dick Advocaat – Ronaldo’s previous manager at PSV.

The Dutchman eventually signed a big-name player in November 2000 for the Ibrox side, as Tore Andre Flo made his way to Rangers from Chelsea for a transfer fee in the region of £12m, yet the move did not go as well as anticipated.

Tore Andre Flo’s Rangers statistics

"I've tried many times to get him," said Advocaat upon his arrival. "The last time was in June when I phoned him, but he was still involved with Chelsea. I have been watching the Chelsea side since, and he has not been a regular. But I think he will gel very quickly here."

A goal on his debut against Celtic certainly was the ideal way to get himself onside with the Ibrox faithful quickly, and he added another 12 goals as the club failed to win a trophy for the first time under Advocaat’s leadership.

The 2001/02 campaign saw the Norwegian striker score a respectable total of 25 goals as the club secured a domestic cup double under Alex McLeish, but it proved to be his only full season in Glasgow.

McLeish received an offer of £6.75m from Sunderland during the dying embers of the 2002 summer transfer window, and it was clearly too good an offer for the club to turn down, especially considering their financial situation at the time.

There is no doubt Ronaldo would have been a much bigger talent than Flo and while his agent claims Rangers only wanted him to play in Europe, this statement must be taken with a high degree of fallacy.

Seeing Ronaldo at Ibrox would have been a sensational way for one of the greatest decades in the club’s history to come to a close, but instead, they splashed lavish sums on Flo three years later.

This spending did the Gers more harm than good, and it wasn’t long before managers such as McLeish and Smith (second spell) had to sell off their best talents to make the club sustainable, while resorting to loan deals or free transfers to improve their squads.

There was a period in the 90s’, however, when Rangers were arguably one of the finest teams in Britain and their achievements certainly justify this notion.

New Zealand won’t loosen grip as England face must-win game in Napier

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2019New Zealand know they can’t afford to loosen their grip on the T20 series against England when they carry a 2-1 lead into the penultimate game in Napier on Friday.Colin de Grandhomme, whose 55 off 35 balls earned him Player of the Match honours and provided the crux of New Zealand’s 14-run victory in the third match at Nelson, said the hosts would look to keep the pressure on England, against whom he admitted the World Cup final defeat still stung.Also read: England throw away chase as NZ squeeze home”Definitely you can’t give them an inch,” de Grandhomme said. “You’ve got to keep hitting them hard and try and win every game when you can.”De Grandhomme stopped short of identifying revenge for the World Cup defeat as a source of motivation in this rather more low-key series, however.”They’re pretty good lads and they’re a good team so it’s always nice beating them but we’ve got to move on from that,” he said. “Unfortunately that’s how things go. I think the boys are still hurting but some of the boys are good mates with the other boys and they get on well.”De Grandhomme revelled in the No. 4 spot he has stamped his authority on over the past year, pressing the tempo through the middle overs before New Zealand’s bowlers snared 5 for 10 in 18 balls to quash England’s run chase.”Definitely batting up the order in T20 is a lot more, probably, forgiving,” de Grandhomme said. “You get a better chance and you get an opportunity in the top six sometimes when the openers don’t do their jobs as well, so it gives me more freedom with the field in and it’s enjoyable.”We had to bowl well and get a few wickets up top and then we’d put them under pressure … nine, 10 an over I think here is still very gettable because it’s only one hit and then five singles, if you like, and it’s not that hard but our bowlers executed and did a great job. The bowlers were actually happy with that total. I thought we were at least 20 short but the bowlers back themselves and win us games so, a good win.”New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen was full of praise for de Grandhomme.”He’s just been awesome, the way that he’s approached his batting,” Jurgensen said. “He comes out and it’s almost like you don’t see what stage the game is at, how many wickets have fallen. He just plays the way that he plays, as we know, but certainly playing a lot smarter cricket with the bat and I think that’s what he’s really learnt over the last 12 months.”Jurgensen was also impressed with his bowling charges, including Blair Tickner who took 2 for 25 playing just his second T20I since making his debut against India in February.”He bowled quite well against India as well so he had a lot of confidence coming in that he can do it and that’s our job as coaches to just get him up get him ready to go and just get him to believe in his skills that he’s got,” Jurgensen said.”I was a pretty tight game and England were in a strong position to win but I think we saw when we batted the runs slowed up at the end so that’s exactly what happened for both sides. I was really impressed with the way that we approached our bowling, particularly in the second half of the innings. We were basically in a bit of strife really.”For England captain Eoin Morgan, this match was “one that got away”.”We were in control for the whole chase until we were three or four down, probably that’s a lack of experience but the guys need to get more games into them at this level,” Morgan told Sky Sports. “But certainly that’s one that slipped away. Everything is about playing smart, aggressive cricket, and new guys coming in. There were a lot of positives but it’s a must-win game in Napier now.”

Over the last decade, Nottingham Forest have certainly had more downs than ups, with the club's promotion to the Premier League back in 2022 needed after years of torment for the fans.

Since 2014, the Reds have employed ten different permanent managers, with many of them failing to last over a year in charge at the City Ground.

Within the last decade, the club have had some really tough times. From a last-day survival after a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town back in 2016/17, to a last-day play-off bottle after throwing away an eight-goal swing after losing 4-1 to Stoke City and other results going against the Reds.

Despite the testing times, the fans have always stuck by whichever manager was in charge and the players wearing the famous Garibaldi Red that was made way back in 1865.

Although they may have suffered through numerous disastrous campaigns, some players have stuck out for their ability and passion for the club even though the results may not have been as everyone wanted them to be.

Fast-forward to 2024 and the club currently have a crop of the most talented players many fans would have seen for a generation, with the idea of Forest being in the Premier League a farfetched dream given where the club was under previous owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi.

With that being said, we've built our dream Nottingham Forest footballer – taking attributes from multiple players who have featured for the club since the start of the 2013/14 campaign. Some of their promotion stars even miss out, notably the likes of Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson.

1 Brain: Ryan Yates

Whilst he might not be the most technically gifted footballer the club have ever owned, Ryan Yates makes up for it with his superb game management skills.

He's the sort of player you would want coming on for your side within the final 15/20 minutes of a game. He loves a challenge, with the midfielder one of the best players at winning cheap free kicks and running the clock down to ensure a victory.

His tenacious and dogged pressing nature would be of value to most teams in the Premier League, with the 26-year-old often not receiving the praise he deserves.

2 Head: Scott McKenna Honourable mention: Steve Cook

During the promotion-winning campaign, Scottish centre-back Scott McKenna was consistently at the heart of the Forest defence, with his aerial ability catching the eye.

He originally joined the club for £3m from Aberdeen, with the centre-back money well spent as he quickly established himself as one of the best left-footed central defenders in the league.

His aerial presence was a threat at set pieces too, with the 27-year-old scoring twice with his head during the 2021/22 season against Bournemouth and Birmingham City.

3 Vision: Morgan Gibbs-White Honourable mention: Tiago Silva

There won't be any easier category than vision, with Morgan Gibbs-White by far the most technically gifted Forest have had within the last decade.

His ability to get past a couple of players and pick out the killer is up there with some of the very best in the Premier League, with the club certain to make a huge profit on his £25m signing.

His assist for Anthony Elanga's goal against Newcastle United in February was evidence of the quality he possesses, with Gibbs-White more than deserving of a senior England call-up in the near future.

4 Upper Body: Michail Antonio Honourable mention: Willy Boly

It's not very often you get a winger who possesses a lot of pace and strength, but Michail Antonio had it in abundance at the City Ground.

He joined the club for around £1.5m from Sheffield Wednesday during the summer of 2014, with his bulldozing direct playstyle catching the eye under Stuart Pearce.

In his 46 games for the club, he achieved 14 goals and 14 assists – figures that would catch the eye of Premier League side West Ham United.

Purely because of his unique style of play and the impact he had at the City Ground, Antonio has to be included in this list.

5 Pace: Oliver Burke Honourable mention: Anthony Elanga

A product of the Forest academy, winger Oliver Burke burst onto the scene, impressing with his pace and direct dribbling – very similar to Antonio, just without the strength.

He gained the nickname "Twisty" during his time as a youngster at the club, because of his pace – with the winger taking his form into the Forest first-team.

His ability to drive with the ball at his feet was effortless, with the youngster breezing past defenders as demonstrated in the FA Cup victory against QPR in 2016.

He secured the club a huge payday, moving to RB Leipzig for £13m back in August 2016 – a deal that would prove to be brilliant business with the Scotland international failing to find his form in Germany – scoring just one goal in 26 games – before returning to England.

6 Right Foot: James Garner Honourable mention: Henri Lansbury

Midfielder James Garner spent two separate seasons on loan at the club, with the youngster excelling at the City Ground.

He became known for his brilliant set-piece delivery, creating ten goals for his teammates, but also his ability to score screamers – as demonstrated with his goal against Preston back in 2021.

His technique is a unique one, with his ability to whip the ball and being able to make it dip tricky for goalkeepers and defenders to defend against.

The club wanted to sign him again after promotion but missed out with the talented 23-year-old now starring for Everton in the Premier League.

7 Left Foot: Joe Lolley Honourable mention: Ben Osborn

An unknown quantity to many upon his arrival at the City Ground in January 2018, but Joe Lolley captured the hearts of almost all Forest fans during his four-year stint at the club.

Lolley quickly became a fan-favourite for the Reds and won the Player of the Year award for the 2018/19 campaign – which included his Goal of the Season strike and four assist game during the 5-5 draw away at Aston Villa.

He became known for his ability to cut inside onto his left foot from the right wing, before firing home the ball – a move he produced on countless occasions.

During a very topsy-turvy time for the club, Lolley carried the Forest team on his shoulders for long periods, with the winger one of the best players in the Championship in his prime.

Nottingham Forest may have to sell a "sensational" star to ease PSR worries

The club still might be forced to sell another star after Brennan Johnson’s departure.

ByEthan Lamb Mar 20, 2024

Hampshire batsman underwent surgery this week following injury

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2019Aneurin Donald is set to miss the whole of the 2020 season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).Donald, the 22-year-old batsman, joined Hampshire from Glamorgan towards the end of the 2018 domestic season, and impressed in his first full season at the club, hitting a 144-ball 173 against Warwickshire in the Championship and regularly scoring quickly at the start of a T20 innings.But after suffering the injury to his ACL last week, Donald underwent an operation this week, and Hampshire physio James Clegg confirmed that his is expected to miss most of the upcoming domestic season.”Thanks to all the doctors/nurses/surgeons who have looked after me the past week or so,” Donald posted on Instagram. “Long road back to recovery starts now.. Appreciate all the love and support I’ve received to date. Will be back stronger.”The news represents a major blow to Donald, whose move to the Ageas Bowl came about in part due to his hopes of an England call-up.He first announced himself as a 19-year-old in the Glamorgan side when he spanked 234 off just 136 balls, equalling the record for the fastest double-century in first-class cricket, in a remarkable maiden Championship ton at Colwyn Bay. He hit Derbyshire’s attack for 15 sixes, and made headlines as a future star.There were flashes of brilliance in his fledgling white-ball career, including a 40-ball 76 at The Oval in 2017, but he failed to make a half-century in 2018, and finished last season with a disappointment when he found no takers in the inaugural draft for the Hundred.

Wilfried Nancy is MLS' most talented coach, and amid speculation about USMNT role, shares gratitude for life, his mentor and more

The rise has been as meteoric as it was unexpected.

Pushed into the limelight after Thierry Henry left his post as head coach of CF Montreal in 2021, Wilfried Nancy has now burst onto the scene in Major League Soccer. From an assistant coach under the Frenchman to now being widely considered the most talented manager in MLS, Nancy has climbed the domestic table to the top in just three years.

In two seasons with the Canadian side, Nancy took the team to heights they haven't been able to replicate since his departure prior to the 2023 season – and that campaign last year was a true breakout in Columbus.

He led the Crew to an MLS Cup victory in his inaugural year with the Eastern Conference side, and followed it up in 2024 with a trip to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. And he has been linked as a potential successor to Gregg Berhalter as the USMNT coach, acknowledging the speculation by saying "I'm happy to have the national team think that I could be interesting to the country, to do something."

Nancy, who served as head coach in this week's 2024 MLS All-Star Game in Columbus, sat down with GOAL to discuss his coaching philosophy, personal growth, his mentor Henry, and how he defines personal success amid links to the vacant U.S. men's national team coaching role.

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  Early beginnings

  Nancy and Henry worked together at CF Montreal for just under three years, but their relationship began nearly two decades prior, on the pitch in France in the late '90s. At the time, the now-Columbus boss was a teenager playing for Toulon, while Henry was a young star in the making at Monaco.

  Their paths crossed and they quickly bonded.

  “I knew him, when I was in Toulon, he was playing for Monaco, and so we are the same age, I think around 17 years old, and we were playing each other," Nancy said of Henry. "And so he was a very good friend of mine and it was funny. Life is beautiful, because after maybe 25 years, something like that, we worked together (at CF MTL)."

  Their friendship began then, and continued throughout the years, culminating as they reunited on the coaching staff in Canada. And as Nancy recalls, it was like they’d never spent a day apart.

  “He is a competitive guy," he said. "You know, he has a competitive spirit, he is amazing with that. So obviously, he has a clear idea of the way he wants to play but, this is something that we also have in common."

  Understanding Henry's ideology and the way his brain works on the touchline, Nancy believes, was key to his development as a manager, too.

  “I like to learn from everyone," he said. "You know, I like to see how people think, I like to see how they act, how they react, because after that I can adjust or I can take certain things that you can use. I don't have the same personality as Thierry, but I was also able to pick his brain into certain things and in detail, 'This is the way we do things,' you know – try to steal certain things and to do it for (the Crew).”

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  'Bible of soccer'

  Henry, who plied his trade across Europe with some of the biggest teams in the professional game across a storied career, is now coach of France’s U23 Olympic team at the 2024 Paris Games. After Montreal, he had a stint with the Belgium national team, assisting on the touchline in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, before joining his nation’s federation.

  Nancy believes Henry will find success wherever he goes, saying he has never met another coach who could match his intellect or passion for the game.

  “He is a Bible, in terms of football," Nancy said. "Just a few days ago I was talking with him, and this is someone that, let's say, we are talking about an action. He is going to tell me briefly 'Hey, do you remember in 1982, for Spain, this player, after 82 minutes and he created this chance?' "

  “What are you talking about?" Nancy says with a laugh. And Henry would double-down on the facts, saying “Go, go, go see, Wilfried – and it happens!"

  “It's a Bible," he says, in awe of Henry's football brain. "He has a really good memory so he's able to keep everything in his mind. And that's why we have passionate discussions about football because he likes football. He has a passion, so sometimes when we were working together, we had discussions for two hours, but it could have been two minutes, but, this is Thierry… a Bible of soccer.”

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  Moments in time

  Without Henry’s influence, without those , Nancy may not be climbing as fast in his senior-managerial career. The former Barcelona ace taught him much on the touchline, but his biggest takeaway was learning when and how to step back, be present, and appreciate the moment.

  “What I like about my life, for the moment, is the coherence,” Nancy says. “You know, everything has been coherent, in terms of the way I see people, the way I am in this club (Crew), the way we do things and how we do it. So for me, it's logical, it's common sense, you know, what we are doing.

  “I'm not talking about results, because again, yes, we are champions. It's been fantastic – but the journey that we had to become champions. It's common sense about what we try to do every day. And for me, this is why I do this job. This is why I try to challenge my players, why I try to support them.”

  Nancy has learned to separate football and life, and as a manager, is relaying that sentiment to his team. He has consistently messaged his players about the preciousness of life, appreciating the moment, realizing that each day is a new opportunity to succeed.

  The “support” comes in many forms, but more than anything, Nancy is striving to teach lessons, bring unity to the team and align the squad with a common goal.

  “This (message) is significant because we have a clear vision: we want to achieve something not only in terms of results, but in terms of trying to become a better person, a better player," he says. And what I like about my players is that they're embracing that, they are able to take ownership about this and that's why it’s been a good run for the moment.”

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  Limitless

  Nancy has been publicly linked to the vacant USMNT head coach job, with speculation surfacing nearly immediately after Gregg Berhalter was fired in the wake of the team's unexpectedly early Copa America exit. Nancy, one of the most respected domestic managers, has seen others toss his name into the ring.

  Ahead of the MLS All-Star Game, Nancy was asked about his interest in the USMNT role, and he replied by emphasizing his commitment to the Crew – but added that he believes he is “limitless” and that wherever his career takes him, he will go.

  Speaking to GOAL, Nancy expanded on the importance of being "limitless" and how it has been a defining word for him throughout life. As he reflected, Nancy stood still and smiled with a deep breath.

  “Limitless? It’s my life," he says. "I’m 47 years old. I'm talking to you at the MLS All-Star Game in Columbus. I never planned to be in Columbus, never, never, never…

  “I'm gonna be honest with you, when I started to travel, when I was an assistant coach in Montreal, I told my wife… 'Columbus? Mmmm, I don't know' … because I didn't know the city and so on… but (now) we love the city.”

  In Montreal, Nancy met his wife – who is Canadian with Haitian heritage – and they settled, finding love for the city. Columbus, in many ways, does not compare to the Canadian metropolis. Montreal has more than double the population of Ohio's capital city, and its native language is French. Switching gears, starting a new life and taking the risk to join the Crew was the biggest gamble of his career.

  But Nancy reminded himself when the offer arrived: “I am limitless."

  “My life has been like this. I don't like to plan something, it’s all about serendipity," he says. "For me, this word is really important. That's why I am limitless, because it's about moments. And I came here, it was a moment. I came to Montreal, it was a moment. I become a coach, a moment. I was supposed to become a coach earlier in Montreal. It was not the moment to do it. And then, Thierry decided to leave because of his family and I took the job. So listen, it's been my life.

  "That's why, for me, I like to discover new things. I like to challenge myself. So that's why I have no limit. Because the idea is… what can I do to get better? And for me the definition of success is 'What is my behavior against all the challenges that I'm going to face?' And this is something that I tried to use to get better. That's why I am limitless, it’s as simple as that.”