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City could only blame themselves after missing a hatful of chances and twice throwing away the lead to drop points at home once more

Manchester City dropped two more points against a top-six side and once again could only blame themselves after failing to put Tottenham out of sight in a thrilling 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Son Heung-min caught City on the hop to give Spurs the lead after his side cut through the champions on the counter-attack, but moments later put the ball through his own net. Phil Foden's sensational team goal then put City in front and they should have killed the game off, with Erling Haaland missing big chances either side of half-time.

But they let their foot off the gas in the second half and twice surrendered the lead – first via Giovani Lo Celso's sizzling strike and then Dejan Kulusevski's header, after Jack Grealish had restored the champions' advantage.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (5/10):

Made a hash of Son's shot, which squirmed through his arms. Blameless for Lo Celso's thumper or Kulusevski's late header.

Kyle Walker (7/10):

Made excellent recovery runs and stayed well on top of the threat of Udogie and Gil down his flank.

Manuel Akanji (6/10):

Made a strong start in the hybrid defence/midfield role but stood back more in the second, playing into Spurs' hands.

Ruben Dias (6/10):

Made a crucial slide tackle to prevent Kulusevski finding Son.

Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

Struggled to keep a handle on Kulusevski and had to resort to fouling him, earning a booking.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Bernardo Silva (6/10):

A sloppy pass nearly led to a big Spurs chance. Otherwise played well.

Rodri (6/10):

A mixed bag. Made some sloppy passes and tackles and is now suspended for the trip to Aston Villa. Made amends by sparking the Grealish's goal as he seized the ball from Bissouma.

Phil Foden (8/10):

Made lots of nice moves, often dictating play from deep. His finish was a work of art.

Getty ImagesAttack

Julian Alvarez (7/10):

Had a hand in City's first two goals but gave the ball away before Lo Celso struck.

Erling Haaland (5/10):

A lousy performance both in his build-up play and his finishing, particularly his sitter in the first half. Half made up for it by setting up Grealish's goal with a deft touch.

Jeremy Doku (7/10):

Electric and unpredictable. Unlucky not to score when he hit the woodwork. Taken off in the 52nd minute with an injury.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Jack Grealish (8/10):

Made a huge impact and drew lots of attention from Spurs' players, who kept on fouling him. Scored a fine goal which looked to have won the game.

Rico Lewis (7/10):

Kept the ball well and was strong defensively too.

Nathan Ake (N/A):

Came on in the 87th minute and was beaten in the air for Kulusevski's goal.

Mateo Kovacic (N/A):

Came on in the 87th minute.

Pep Guardiola (5/10):

Made an uncharacteristically large number of substitutions to try and fix things. Taking Foden off didn't make much sense and has now dropped four points in consecutive home games, admittedly against very strong opponents.

Gracing the grandest stage in football should be considered the pinnacle of a playing career, but for many that global dream has become a disaster

Getty ImagesDavid Beckham

A first outing at a major international tournament for the poster boy of English football ended in red card shame following an ill-advised flick of his right foot into the legs of Diego Simeone. Redemption would be achieved by the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend in the years which followed, but only after ‘Golden Balls’ had become the subject of burning effigies and terrace taunts at just about every stadium away from Old Trafford.

AdvertisementZinedine Zidane

A hero on home soil in 1998, one of the all-time greats endured a rather chequered World Cup history from that point. Four years on from his two-goal final heroics, Zidane saw injury restrict him to just one outing in a humbling group stage exit for the holders. It was, however, in 2006 that he would endure the most galling of World Cup moments, with the sight of him headbutting Marco Materazzi one which will live long in the memory for all of the wrong reasons.

Gonzalo Higuain

Without doubt one of the most fearsome frontmen in European football, with his pedigree having been proved at the likes of Real Madrid, Napoli and Juventus. Higuain does, however, have a tendency to fluff his lines when it matters most for Argentina. Missed a penalty in the 2015 Copa America final and squandered a glorious chance in a 2016 repeat with Chile. He had previous by then, with his inability to convert any of the chances which came his way in the 2014 World Cup final costing Argentina dear.

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Getty ImagesDavid Luiz

The flamboyant Brazilian has never been renowned for his defensive prowess, with the Samba flair running through his veins ensuring that he is never too far away from a rush of blood which leads to him making questionable decisions. Forced to prove that he could be relied upon to keep the back door bolted for Brazil at a home finals in 2014, Luiz was left hopelessly exposed without Thiago Silva to carry him in a 7-1 semi-final mauling by Germany.

England are preparing to open their quest for Women’s World Cup glory in 2023, but can they dethrone the all-conquering USWNT?

The Lionesses have headed to Australia and New Zealand as reigning European champions and winners of the inaugural Finalissima from back in April. Sarina Wiegman’s side are – despite having to deal with a number of unfortunate injuries – expected to go well Down Under and will feel as though they are a match for anybody on their day.

The United States are, however, the current holders and four-time winners of FIFA’s flagship event, with an almighty effort required from somebody in order to wrestle a global crown from their clutches.

Can England do that and what will it take to halt the USWNT’s relentless march towards title number five?

GOAL put those questions to Lionesses legend Rachel Yankey.

GettyReady to roar!

Quizzed on whether England are, player for player, a match for any other team in the tournament at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Yankey – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “Great question. I think it’s a good squad. Obviously if there weren’t injuries, it would probably be a different squad. I suppose throughout the three group games, we’ll see. I think the attack looks stronger than our defence – our defence is relatively unknown. You need time to form partnerships and obviously with players being injured and being out, that hasn’t been the case, but there is no reason why they can’t really go on and be strong. I think there will be more tinkering with this squad and group and the XI that starts than there was in the Euros.”

AdvertisementGettyFear factor

Pressed on whether there are any chinks in the American armour that could be exposed by the likes of England – with any side harbouring ambitions of going all the way likely to have go through the USWNT at some stage – Yankey said: “Yeah. Again, I think their defence. I don’t think they have got the strongest defence that they could have had. I always think that the way English teams play, you always have a chance of beating the USA. Even teams that I played for, and knowing a few of the U.S. National Team when we were playing, they always had a fear against the English – in terms of how we play football. It was more back then the mentality of did we really believe that we were good enough?”

GettyBelieve!

Ted Lasso, the star of the hit Apple TV+ show, was big on the power of belief at AFC Richmond and Yankey feels that quality could serve England well on the back of their recent successes. She added: “I think this squad, because they have won the Euros, actually will go into this World Cup believing that they are good enough, and that’s powerful. I wouldn’t be fearful of playing the U.S. Sometimes it’s easier to play the bigger nations. I know it’s a more difficult game, but you’re not playing against that underdog – not to say that there is complacency, but you have got to up your standard, you know that when you come across a team like Spain, like USA, France, Germany, you have got to be at your best because at any time they could beat you. I think this England team will be able to look back at their experiences from the Euros and that will put them in a really good place.”

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GettyWinning mentality

England now know what it takes to win a major tournament, while coach Wiegman boasts two continental triumphs to her name. Yankey said when asked if that winning mentality is what separates the class of 2023 from the Lionesses of years gone by, with there a belief now that they can beat anybody: “100 per cent. That’s why, for me, players like Lucy Bronze, you need players like that – that never say die and always pushing on for the next thing. OK, she hasn’t got the captain’s armband, but she is definitely a leader in that team. You need your team to be strong off the pitch. In tournament football it’s about being close, having each other’s back, and it seems like they have that. Draw on the experiences from the Euros, you believe in the manager. When you are maybe questioning if that’s the right thing, well she has been there, done it and won the Euros twice. That gives you a bit more faith to listen to the words and to go out for the tactics and what you want to do.”

The Gunners' club-record signing has already become a fan favourite in north London and has given his new team an edge they previously lacked

Arsenal were already a very good side; Declan Rice could make them a great one. The Gunners went all out to get the England midfielder in the summer, doing all the groundwork and then outbidding Manchester City to get their man. And on early impressions, it was worth every sinew of energy, and every penny of his £105 million ($132m) transfer fee.

Rice was dominant for Arsenal in Sunday's thriller against Manchester United, and when push came to shove it was the club-record signing who came to the fore and grabbed the crucial goal in the eventual 3-1 win. It was not the best goal Rice has ever scored, taking a big deflection off Jonny Evans and flummoxing the otherwise excellent Andre Onana, but it is among the most important strikes of the 24-year-old's career.

Arsenal were in danger of losing to United despite dominating the first half, with VAR needing to intervene to prevent Alejandro Garnacho putting the impressive visitors back in front late in the game. But Rice, who had had the better of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes for much of this gripping encounter, pulled Arsenal back in front in the 96th minute, before Gabriel Jesus made sure of the points.

It was a huge victory for Arsenal, who have 10 points from their opening four games, and will give them belief that they can catch early front-runners City, who chased them down last season. United, meanwhile, were left cursing their dreadful away form once more and left even more concerned by an alarmingly long injury list.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Emirates Stadium…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Declan Rice

As soon as the final whistle had blown, Arsenal’s stadium DJ pressed play on Vanilla Ice’s 'Ice Ice Baby' and the party began in earnest. Gunners fans were already pretty high on their new defensive midfielder, but after his deflected effort secured a vital three points, any remaining doubters were emphatically inducted into the Rice Fan Club.

It wasn’t just his goal that was so impressive on Sunday. Rice oozed class throughout this encounter. He was the rock-solid base that his side used to dominate large spells of this game, and when Arsenal didn’t have the ball he was soon on the hunt to win it back. 

When you consider the shoddy start fellow £100m-plus midfielder Moises Caicedo has endured in west London, that Rice has taken like a duck to water at the Emirates is even more impressive. He is already looking like an extremely sound investment.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Ten Hag's dismal away record

You had to feel for United. This was arguably their best performance of the season and a huge improvement on some of their frankly shambolic away displays of last term. But ultimately they had the same result: yet another loss at the home of a top-nine side.

Erik ten Hag's team picked up just one point away to the top nine sides last season, losing to Arsenal, Brighton, Newcastle and Aston Villa (in addition to relegation-fighting West Ham) while getting hammered by Liverpool, Brentford and Manchester City. And they have made another ominous start to the season on the road, losing to Tottenham and now Arsenal.

This was a much better effort than their dismal defeat to Spurs, but the manner of this loss is only going to increase their mental block every time they head off on an away trip. The good news is that their next away game is against Burnley, who have no points from their three matches – all at home – so far.

WINNER: Gabriel Magalhaes

Gabriel Magalhaes – who did not miss a single Premier League match last season – has been the victim of Mikel Arteta’s tactical experiments in recent weeks, and the defender would’ve had the Gunners’ boss recent comments ringing in his ears when he was restored to the starting line-up here. 

“I think he understands the reason [for not starting], whether he agrees or not, that’s something different. But the best way to do it is when you play, just tell me how blind I’m wrong, I am,” Arteta said. 

The centre-back responded to this challenge emphatically against United, scarcely putting a foot wrong at the back and keeping the ball nicely. Arteta is always looking for the next innovation, but the return of his trusted back four proved that the familiar can sometimes be best. Gabriel’s challenge now is to keep his place when Thomas Partey returns to the fray.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Kai Havertz

The debate surrounding Havertz’s immediate future in the Arsenal first-team had reached fever pitch in the days leading up to kick-off. In the end, an untimely injury to Partey likely saved him his place in midfield on Sunday – but on the evidence of his performance against United, he might not last too much longer.

After floating on the periphery of the action in the opening exchanges, the German’s big moment fell to him on a plate. A diabolical clearance from Diogo Dalot sat the ball up nicely for Havertz, but in a moment of pure farce, he air-kicked it and Lisandro Martinez was able to clear.

The circus continued soon after when Havertz lost possession cheaply in midfield. A few flashes of black and white later and the ball was nestling in the back of the net. Havertz’s face after Marcus Rashford’s effort flew past Aaron Ramsdale told the story of a player who knows he’s already under serious pressure just a few weeks into his ‘fresh start’.

He thought he might have redeemed himself somewhat when he won a penalty just before the hour mark, but Havertz’s miserable day at the office was capped off when VAR intervened and overturned Anthony Taylor’s original decision.

GOAL has put together a stellar line-up made up solely of players from countries that failed to qualify for this year's finals

Qualification is not yet complete for the 2022 World Cup, with three spots still up for grabs, but we already know that some of the game's greatest players won't be travelling to Qatar.

Indeed, GOAL has been able to put together a stellar line-up comprised solely of superstars who will be sitting at home when the tournament gets under way later this year.

You can check out our adventurous 3-4-3 formation below and feel free to post your own selections in the comment box provided….

GettyGK: Gianluigi Donnarumma

It's a real shame that we won't get to see Slovakia and Atletico Madrid ace Jan Oblak at the finals but the absence of Gianluigi Donnarumma is even more shocking.

After all, the giant goalkeeper was named player of the tournament at Euro 2020, after playing a key role in Italy's surprise triumph.

Donnarumma, though, was powerless to prevent the Azzurri from sensationally failing to qualify for Qatar, with Roberto Mancini's side upset by North Macedonia in the play-offs.

The Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper is still only 23 and should get plenty more chances to grace a World Cup but elimination was the last thing he needed right now, given his poor form and ongoing struggle too establish himself at the Parc des Princes this season.

AdvertisementGettyCB: Milan Skriniar

Slovakia may have finished third in their UEFA qualifying group but they didn't really come close to securing even a play-off berth.

It's a shame for Milan Skriniar, who played every minute of his nation's unsuccessful campaign.

The much-coveted Inter defender is widely regarded as one of the finest centre-backs in the game today but the 27-year-old may never get the chance to compete in a World Cup.

GettyCB: Giorgio Chiellini

Giorgio Chiellini was almost at a loss for words after Italy's shock 1-0 loss to North Macedonia, admitting he was "crushed" by his nation's failure to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup.

It's easy to understand why. The veteran centre-back will turn 38 later this year. Chiellini may have played a pivotal role in Italy's emotional Euro 2020 victory but he will never get another chance to take to the game's greatest stage.

That's good news for forwards all over the world, of course, but a blow for neutrals, who felt one of the great defenders of the modern era deserved to bring the curtain down on his international career at World Cup 2022.

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GettyCB: David Alaba

We could have put David Alaba in several positions in this team. The Real Madrid ace is that versatile. And he's that good.

It was tough, then, to see Austria beaten in the UEFA play-offs by Wales, as there is now a very real prospect that Alaba will never play in a World Cup.

At 29, he should definitely have one more crack at qualification, but it's worth pointing out that Austria haven't made it to a finals since 1998.

David Beckham brutally mocked his wife Victoria's feet on Valentine's Day after the Spice Girl got injured in the gym.

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Victoria Beckham suffers foot injuryHusband David mocks her feetContrasting posts on Valentine's DayGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Earlier on Wednesday, Beckham initially thanked his wife for getting him the latest edition of The Country Smallholder magazine due to his new-found love of chickens, the 48-year-old then wished her a happy Valentine's Day on his Instagram story feed. However, shortly after seeing Victoria had complained about a foot injury she had suffered; instead of sympathising with her, the former England captain made fun of the 49-year-old.

AdvertisementInstagramWHAT DAVID BECKHAM SAID

After Victoria posted an Instagram story of her foot under a bag of ice and captioned it, "Happy Valentine's Day to me… Fell over in the gym!!!!, followed by a facepalm emoji, David poked fun at his wife.

He wrote: "How big is your toe? Wow. I never noticed that before," followed by the confused face emoji.

GettyTHE GOSSIP

The world-famous couple have a history of ribbing one another on social media following decades of being with one another. The pair, who also posted old photos of each other over the years on Valentine's Day, are likely to continue this back and forth for some time.

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WHAT NEXT?

Away from their relationship, David, who co-owns Inter Miami, will be focused on his team getting off to a good start in the 2024 MLS season next week. Miami are at home to Real Salt Lake on February 22, before facing the ex-winger's former team LA Galaxy four days later.

ESPNcricinfo previews the third Test between West Indies and England in Barbados

The preview by Alex Winter30-Apr-2015Match factsMay 1-5, 2015
Start time 1000 local (1500 BST)1:42

West Indies vow to play ‘more attacking’ cricket

Big pictureEngland are on an upward curve after their final day surge to victory in the second Test and will now look to close out the series for a satisfying victory. After a terrible winter, a series win would be most welcome indeed. Several personnel were in need of a positive result in this series and barring a complete reversal in fortunes – England have dominated most sessions – those under pressure should be able to head home with a little more slack to work with ahead of two tough series against New Zealand and Australia.But they may be without Ben Stokes for the final rubber. Stokes, who has taken five wickets and scored 122 runs in three innings this series, has a sore back and could miss out as he returns to the ground where he punched a locker on England’s last visit in 2014, breaking a hand and missing the World T20.One of those in need of a positive series result is Alastair Cook, who is steadily rebuilding his mandate to rule. Most commentators have observed an improvement in his batting, with the cover drive coming back into his game and more discipline outside off. Two pleasing half-centuries in Grenada boosted his stock further and if he can manage a century in Barbados, any question of his position will surely be put to bed for the summer. Likewise Peter Moores is on the cusp of a series win to shore up his own position but uncertainty will still remain with the restructuring of England’s management ongoing.The recruitment progress to replace former managing director of England cricket Paul Downton has reportedly moved forward since the Grenada Test but Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach who was hired by Downton, has insisted England will not be distracted by the prospect of a former captain entering the fray as Downton’s replacement.West Indies rather reverted to type in the second Test. Having battled well, often in the worst of the conditions, to begin day five in sight of another well-earned draw, the lack of composure that blighted them in South Africa returned. Ridding the side of that tendency is Phil Simmons’s biggest challenge. But elsewhere there is encouragement with younger players showing much potential. If West Indies can at least make life difficult for England once again, Simmons would have a number of ticks in the notebook as he looks to revive Caribbean cricket.Jonathan Trott remains under pressure after an unconvincing return to Test cricket•Getty ImagesForm guideWest Indies WDLDL (most recent first)
England WDWWWL
In the spotlightSome pressure has emerged on Chris Jordan who could lose his place in the side. England’s bowling attack is considered too similar and with Ben Stokes a more attractive option with his all-round ability and several sharp spells in the series so far, Jordan may be vulnerable. But if Stokes is unfit, Jordan may be retained. Jordan needs to prove his worth in England’s attack after five wickets at 45.60 in the series. His superb fielding remains a great asset.Shivnarine Chanderpaul has only passed fifty once in his last nine Test innings and questions are beginning to be asked about the stickability of the famous barnacle of the Caribbean. West Indies have missed his lower-order runs and, even as he edges (very slowly on current form) towards Brian Lara’s West Indies Test runs record, Chanderpaul needs a score to prove that he still has a part to play in West Indies’ rebuilding.Team newsJerome Taylor is expected to return, Kemar Roach is likely to make way after five wickets at 53 in the series so far. West Indies played two spinners at this ground in their last Test but have not brought Sulieman Benn back into their squad. Instead they have brought in Veerasammy Permaul, also a left-armer, and he may play because Devendra Bishoo has cut his spinning finger from over-bowling.West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Denesh Ramdin (capt/wk), 8 Jason Holder, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Shannon Gabriel, 11 Veerasammy PermaulBen Stokes has a sore back and could miss out. Liam Plunkett or Mark Wood could add pace to the attack, while Adil Rashid, the legspinning allrounder, could be considered having been prevented from returning to county cricket. Stuart Broad’s place may also be vulnerable. Ian Bell hurt a finger and didn’t train the day before the game but is expected to play. After only one convincing innings from four knocks, England could decide that their decision to recall Jonathan Trott was hasty and hand Adam Lyth, the specialist opener, a Test debut.England (possible): 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Jonathan Trott, 3 Gary Ballance, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Joe Root, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Jos Buttler (wkt), 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Pitch and conditionsThe tour returns to a traditional venue and the wicket in Bridgetown is anticipated to provide a bit more pace and bounce, which is good news for everybody. It is also a little drier so spin could play more of a part than the previous Tests of this series. In short, we might have a more sporting wicket. A good crowd is anticipated for the first day with it being a public holiday. The Brits have flocked over too.Stats and trivia There have been 99 Test centuries at the Kensington Oval England have a fair record in Barbados, winning three and drawing seven of their 14 Tests on the island Shivnarine Chanderpaul made his first Test century at the Kensington Oval, 137 against India in 1997 Chanderpaul needs 71 runs to pass Brian Lara as West Indies’ leading Test run-scorerQuotes”We need to come hard at the English. We are one down, so we need to play a little more aggressive and positive cricket.”
“The normal inclination is to go with the same team because you like to give people the confidence that they are not always playing for their place. You get stability when you’re winning and everyone knows their role in the team.”

The Manchester City striker could break countless records in his career, but what were the current icons doing at the same stage of their careers?

Goal machine, beast, robot, tremendous Nordic meat shield; the descriptions of Erling Haaland get more and more outlandish, but he Manchester City striker has been nothing short of a phenomenal since his summer switch from Borussia Dortmund to the Premier League.

Haaland has scored 17 goals in his first 11 matches for City, and manager Pep Guardiola has warned that his star striker will only get better.

At just 22, Haaland already has 152 club goals and another 21 for Norway, putting him on course to be one of the all-time great goalscorers.

But where exactly does he rank alongside some legends of the game at this point in his career? GOAL takes a look…

Lionel Messi

When it comes to the greatest players he has ever coached, Guardiola never deviates from naming Messi.

"[Haaland] can be a better player [than Messi is], he can have the will do do it," he said after Haaland's Premier League debut. "He likes football, I have never seen a player who is 21 or 22 years old – maybe Messi he was already advanced – but the rest are never finished and always you can improve."

In terms of goalscoring, though, the Argentine was nowhere near close to Haaland's extraordinary figures at exactly the same age.

Messi had scored 44 times from 112 appearances for Barcelona, although he spent much of his time as a winger, and had contributed to three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.

It was also the age when he exploded as a goalscorer, netting a ridiculous 628 goals from his next 666 matches for the Spanish giants, and by the age of 23 he had won the Ballon d'Or.

AdvertisementCristiano Ronaldo

Like Messi, at Ronaldo was a season away from winning his first Ballon d'Or at the age of 22, though he had already finished as runner-up to Kaka in the battle to be named the world's best footballer.

He was also mostly being used as a winger at that time, meaning his 50th career goal came shortly before his 22nd birthday in April, while the wait to score the first of his 50 career hat-tricks would last another six months.

In some ways, however, Ronaldo had a similar career trajectory to Haaland's, as he too decided a move to Manchester was the best way to truly announce himself as a global superstar.

Kylian Mbappe

If Messi and Ronaldo dominated the last decade or more, then Haaland and Mbappe will be the strikers to hog the limelight for at least the next 10 years.

The rivalry has already begun after the Paris Saint-Germain striker mocked Haaland's 'zen' celebration after beating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in 2020.

Mbappe is 18 months older than Haaland, but won the Golden Boy three seasons earlier than his counterpart following a standout year with Monaco, PSG and France in 2017.

He is currently ahead in terms of total number of club goals, with 208 from 286 appearances at an average of 0.73 goal per game, similar if slightly inferior to Haaland's 0.78.

It is also very similar when comparing this stage of their careers, with Mbappe having just nine goals fewer than Haaland, albeit from 23 more appearances.

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Karim Benzema

The debate over who is the best striker in the world right now is a fierce one, but Benzema's almost-certain Ballon d'Or win in the coming weeks might mean he is best deserving of the crown.

His superstar status has rocketed late in his career, mostly after coming out of the shadow of Ronaldo, although he has always been a consistent performer.

At 21, he was monitored by the top clubs in Europe after 66 goals in 148 appearances for Lyon, and Real Madrid beat off competition from Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United for his signing in 2009.

In his first season at Santiago Bernabeu, though, he managed only nine goals.

That pales in comparison to this past campaign when, aged 34, his total of 44 goals was comfortably the best of his career.

The World Cup's most successful nation has not won the competition for over 20 years – but a group is emerging who have the talent to end that drought

When the NXGN 2023 finalists were revealed on Tuesday, there was one country that dominated the 50-strong list. Brazil had no fewer than eight players among the list of world football's top teenage talents born in 2004 or later, including NXGN Nine award-winner, Endrick.

Given some of the Brazilian talents who have graced the upper echelons of the annual list of wonderkids in recent years, such as Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, it is hard not to get excited about the prospect of a new golden generation emerging for the Selecao.

Of course, Brazilian generations are ultimately judged on whether or not they win the World Cup.

🏆 TOP STORY: Chelsea set to axe Auba over Barca trip📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Mbappe really ready to captain France?🚨 MUST READ: Viva Garnacho! Inside Man Utd star's rise

Fans of the South American nation generally view two generations – the one fronted by Pele that won three global titles between 1958-70, and the team of Ronaldo, Cafu and – latterly – Ronaldinho, that reached three successive finals, winning twice – as the gold standard.

And while there hasn't been a Ballon d'Or winner from the country since Kaka in 2007, there is no doubt that Brazilian footballers are beginning to dominate the top of the European game once more. The recent Real Madrid-Liverpool tie in the Champions League, for example, featured a record-breaking six different Brazil internationals.

This year's NXGN suggests that number is only going to increase over the next decade, too.

Getty ImagesNXGN 2023's Brazilian ballers

The aforementioned Endrick is top of the pile when it comes to Brazilian wonderkids right now. The 16-year-old Palmeiras forward is regarded as the best talent to have emerged in the country since Neymar, and the battle to sign him among European clubs over the past year suggested as much.

Real Madrid eventually beat the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea to Endrick, agreeing to a deal worth €60 million to bring the teenager to Santiago Bernabeu, though he will not arrive until the summer of 2024.

Others to have agreed moves to Europe include midfielder Andrey Santos, whom Chelsea paid an initial £11m to sign in January, and centre-back Kaiky, who was heavily linked with Barcelona before joining fellow Spanish side Almeria last summer.

Right-back Vinicius Tobias and winger Savio, meanwhile, are currently on loan at Real Madrid and PSV, respectively, and have been getting used to European football in those clubs' reserve sides in the lower reaches of their domestic pyramids.

Vitor Roque, the Athletico Paranaense striker who has been likened to Ronaldo, is likely to be the next to follow them across the Atlantic, with Barca again said to be at the front of the queue for the 18-year-old.

Getty/GOAL

Flamengo midfielder Matheus Franca, meanwhile, recently signed a new contract that includes a €200m release clause after Newcastle had a bid for him rejected in January. Santos winger Angelo Gabriel could soon join Matheus at Flamengo, too, though it's widely felt that would just be a stepping-stone move before he eventually lands in Europe, too.

The conveyor belt is unlikely to stop there, either, with Palmeiras duo Luis Guilherme and Estevao Willian – the latter of whom is still only 15 – already on the radars of the world's most prestigious clubs.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDeveloping 'O Jogo Bonito'

So what's so special about Brazilian coaching and youth development to create such a generation of players who are adept at the beautiful game, or 'O Jogo Bonito' as it's referred to in Brazil?

"Football is a national passion in our country, and our children have the ball at their feet from an early age," Paulo Victor, the manager of Palmeiras' successful Under-20s team, tells NXGN.

"Brazil's great secret lies in its passion, improvisation, daring and creativity. Also, the number of youth teams and competitions that we have and, currently, the quality of work in the youth categories that is being done throughout Brazil."

Vasco da Gama's academy director, Carlos Brazil, adds: "Brazil has always had golden generations. The proof of that is that for a long time, it has been the biggest exporter of players in the world.

"Training a great player involves a methodology that requires a systemic view and interdisciplinary work. There are now several professionals, from different areas, involved in the training of an athlete."

Those coaches and academies are, though, still at something of an advantage compared to others.

Getty ImagesThe beauty of a one-sport nation

Football might as well be the only sport in Brazil. Others have niche followings, but every Brazilian lives and breathes football to some extent. And since the country possesses the sixth-largest population on Earth, that's a lot of football-loving households.

The five countries with larger populations – China, India, United States, Indonesia and Pakistan – are hardly footballing hotbeds, with only one (the U.S.) even having qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

It's perhaps understandable, then, that Brazil is regarded as one of, if not the world's best footballing talent factory. The likes of the top European nations, as well as Argentina and Uruguay, might produce at a more impressive rate given their smaller populations, but that should not take away from what Brazil has been able to do in recent years in terms of elite talents.

"The country, having such a large size and having football as the most popular sport, obviously gives birth to talents in great proportions," Carlos Brazil says. "These well-polished talents, though, become quality players with our training."

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Getty ImagesThe start of something special?

The proof, as always, will be in the pudding when it comes to whether Brazil's next generation will be a golden one, but the early signs are certainly promising.

The U20s team, led by Andrey Santos and Vitor Roque, won the South American Championship at the start of 2023 despite a series of players being blocked from taking part by their clubs, and will head to this summer's U20 World Cup as one of the favourites.

And yet even that might only be the tip of the iceberg, as Paulo Victor explains: "In recent years, we have followed a new generation of players who have taken up major roles in the biggest leagues in world football. But I believe that the best is yet to come in terms of quantity and quality, with the current Under-17 and Under-15 generations.

"They have a significant amount of super talents who will add to the players who are playing a major role today, such as Vini Jr. , Rodrygo, Antony and Gabriel Martinelli."

And so the almost-daily reports of a teenage Brazilian being on the transfer radar of at least one top European club is set to continue for a while yet. The odds are strong that a sixth World Cup will likely follow soon enough.

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is famed for his running speed, but Rasmus Hojlund claims to be even quicker over the turf.

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England ace is famed for his paceDanish striker now on boardTight race predicted between pairWHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford’s ability to race past opponents has helped him to become an established star at Old Trafford and an international performer with 55 England caps to his name. Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt is among his many admirers, with the Olympic gold medallist conceding that even he would struggle to live with Rashford’s pace over a short distance.

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Hojlund – who joined United for £72 million ($89m) during the summer transfer window – says he is even quicker than Rashford, telling reporters when asked who would prevail in a race between the pair: “That’s me.” He added on linking up with Rashford in speedy counter-attacks: “We try to talk to each other and he knows I'm going to be there. He knows I can keep up with his pace when we go on the counter.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Rashford has made a slow start to the 2023-24 campaign, with United often struggling as a collective, but Hojlund is backing a proven performer to come good. He added: “I really like and enjoy playing with him. He is a world-class player. He's a player I've looked up to, even though he's only a few years older than me. He has done well since he came in as a 19-year-old and scored against Midtjylland. I think he has been a great player ever since, and it is of course great that we are team-mates today.”

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rashford hit 30 goals for United across all competitions last season, earning him a new contract, but has just one effort to his name this term. Hojlund has delivered more end product for the Red Devils, with the 20-year-old Denmark international striker finding the target on three occasions through eight appearances.