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Riyad Mahrez's wife Taylor Ward has warned friends she would look like "the biggest tramp" after her husband's big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

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Ward speaks of struggles to adapt to Saudi cultureAl-Ahli move came as shock to Manchester lassAmazon series lifts lid on player relationshipsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A new reality series revealed the model's anxiety over her husband's summer departure from Manchester City and her difficulties adapting to a new life in the Middle East. Faced with suddenly having to move away from her native north west, Ward is featured in Amazon's emotionally addressing of having to suddenly pack their bags.

AdvertisementWHAT TAYLOR WARD SAID

"No lashes, no nails. Oh my god, I'm going to be the biggest tramp when I come home you're not even going to recognise me," Ward told a group of friends about the move.

GettyTHE GOSSIP

In other scenes, Ward breaks down in tears as she talks about the upheaval and recounts a story where she is told by staff that the hotel pool was only available to be used by men.

The show features the partners of Arsenal's Jorginho and City's Ilkay Gundogan among others and attracted some typically forthright social media interest when a trailer featuring Everton's James Tarkowski in flirting mode went viral earlier in the week.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TAYLOR WARD & RIYAD MAHREZ?

The former City winger will be hoping to turn fortunes around on the pitch as Al-Ahli look to breathe life into a difficult season when they take on Al-Tai on Saturday afternoon.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland receives more requests for autographs than Lionel Messi did in his prime at Barcelona, according to a new book.

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Haaland inundated with autograph requests

Man City striker asked to sign more shirts than Messi

City paid €100m to recruit Norwegian in 2022WHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland has been inundated with requests to sign shirts and memorabilia ever since he joined Pep Guardiola's side in 2022 and is always happy to oblige, according to an updated version of the book by Pol Ballus and Lu Martin. And staff who have worked with Guardiola at Barcelona and City claim that the Norwegian gets more requests to sign stuff than Messi did when he was with the Catalans and in the prime of his career.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City paid around €100 million in transfer fees and commissions to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 but he has been worth every penny, firing the Blues to the treble last season while scoring a record 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions. The Norwegian, who has already scored 14 Premier League goals this term, could be forgiven for developing a bit of an ego, but , which has been updated to include new details of how the club won the treble, reports that he is well liked by staff and team-mates.

“He’s always in a good mood and has a kind word for everyone,” a staff member told the book's authors. “He’s made such a difference to the team and, when you think how famous he is, it’s amazing he’s still such a sweet guy. You’d expect that a player of Erling’s status and physical size might be arrogant and demanding – a bit of a diva. But he’s got a smile for everyone and is always happy to chat. He’ll take the piss, too, but more importantly, he can handle a joke at his own expense.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Jack Grealish is Haaland's closest friend at City and the pair, who live in the same block of apartments in the centre of Manchester along with neighbours Ruben Dias, Julian Alvarez and Sergio Gomez, are described as "inseparable".

Haaland also ingratiated himself to his new team-mates last year by turning up to a Halloween party organised by Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez dressed as a Viking, baring his chest amid the freezing Manchester weather.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND

After breaking the records for being the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals and 40 Champions League goals within the last week, Haaland will be setting his sights on further bloating his tally when City host title rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are each getting close to Chelsea debuts after training ahead of the Blues' Newcastle clash in the Premier League.

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Nkunku & Lavia train ahead of Newcastle matchBoth still waiting for Chelsea debutBlues unbeaten in last three matchesWHAT HAPPENED?

With Chelsea team-mates involved in international games elsehwere, Nkunku and Lavia were pictured training together at Cobham on Monday evening. Following earlier reports that both are at last nearing full fitness and their respective debuts, it raises the possibility that either could feature against Newcastle.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Signed in the summer, both Nkunku, who cost £53 million ($67m), and £58m ($74m) Lavia are yet to play for Chelsea. The former, who scored 58 goals for RB Leipzig in the previous two campaigns alone, had impressed in pre-season before suffering a knee ligament injury in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund. The Blues later beat Liverpool to Lavia's signature but an ankle problem has kept him out of action.

WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

Mauricio Pochettino said prior to facing Manchester City recently: "I had a conversation with Christopher and he said to me he wanted to be involved after the international break, against Newcastle. I think he's close and he is doing really well. We are so happy with him in the way that he is doing his recovery. He is very professional. Romeo Lavia is also close."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

After a dire start to the season, Chelsea finally seem to be finding some rhythm and have only lost one of their last eight games in all competitions, winning five of them. Having pushed Manchester City all the way in a 4-4 draw last time out, they need to keep that momentum going into upcoming fixtures against Newcastle, Brighton, Manchester United, Everton and Sheffield United over the next four weeks.

Michael Clarke and Mitchell Marsh will be hoping to prove their fitness for the first Test against Pakistan during this week’s four-day warm-up game, while David Warner will nurse his groin problem on the sidelines

Brydon Coverdale in Sharjah14-Oct-2014Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, and allrounder Mitchell Marsh will be hoping to prove their fitness for the first Test against Pakistan during this week’s four-day warm-up game, while opener David Warner will nurse his groin problem on the sidelines. Australia beat Pakistan in the T20 and all three ODIs, but that momentum has been counterbalanced by injury clouds over key players.The squad trained in Sharjah on the eve of the their practice match against Pakistan A. With only eight days before the first Test in Dubai, the warm-up game looms as an important fitness test. Most important will be how Clarke comes through the match, having not played since the one-day tour of Zimbabwe, where he injured his hamstring.Clarke has only once missed a Test through injury, in Delhi in 2013. Two days out from the Pakistan A match, he said there was still “a long way to go before I’m 100% fit for the Test match”. A day later, his confidence appeared to have risen a little, but he will still need to show the physio Alex Kountouris over the next four days that his body is up to the rigours of a Test match.Michael Clarke will test out his injured hamstring during the four-day practice game against Pakistan A•AFP”I feel a lot better now than I did after Zimbabwe when I tore my hamstring,” Clarke said. “So I’ll be playing tomorrow in the four-day practice match. I’m just trying to take every single step along the way, and listen to the experts.”As soon as I walk onto that ground, I’m a hundred miles an hour. That’s an area that probably hasn’t been great for me … since coming back from Zimbabwe, Alex has had to hold me back in regards to trying to push myself too quickly to get back on the park. If I can prove to Alex that I can do everything that he asks [I’ll be fit for the Test].”I’ll play the way I’ve played over the past 12 years. If the ball is there to chase to the boundary, I’ll be sprinting after it. If I’ve got to run between the wickets as quick as I can, then that’s what I’ll be doing. That’s why I think it’s really important I take his [Kountouris] advice and guidance.”There were questions over whether Clarke came back into the side too soon in Zimbabwe after injuring his hamstring at the first training session of the trip. He came back for a game against Zimbabwe but was forced to retire hurt, and the Australians have been extra careful to avoid any such repeats in the UAE, where he has sat out of all three ODIs.While Clarke is Australia’s most important batsman, Marsh could be critical to the team’s team balance. He had appeared a certainty to make his Test debut in Dubai as a like-for-like swap for the injured Shane Watson, until he hurt his hamstring during the Champions League T20.Marsh bowled in the nets, but mostly worked of a shortened run-up and will not bowl in the first innings of the tour game. The match against Pakistan A is not a first-class encounter, so the Australians are free to use all members of their Test squad at different times during the match.”Mitch definitely won’t bowl in the first innings,” Clarke said. “Hopefully he can bowl in the second innings. His progress is slow and steady, but he was bowling in the nets today so that’s a real positive sign for us. The other side is I think his workloads are very good. He’s played a lot of cricket for this time of year. He’s played a lot of the Australia A stuff and got a lot of cricket under his belt.”I think as long as he’s fit to bowl, I don’t think he necessarily needs to go and bowl 10 or 15 overs to prove that he’s fit enough to do that. That’ll be dictated by Alex and the doctor and we’ll try and make the most of his batting in the first innings and then in the second innings, hopefully he’ll have an opportunity to bowl.”If Marsh plays in the Tests, his bowling will be important as he will offer an extra seam option in the UAE heat, which in turn would allow the frontline fast men like Mitchell Johnson to work in shorter and sharper spells. The make-up of Australia’s bowling line-up might not be apparent until shortly before the Dubai Test, with the potential for two spinners, or even a third if allrounder Glenn Maxwell is picked.Maxwell was among a group of Australia’s ODI players who did not train ahead of the practice game, while Warner was also not present. Warner suffered a groin strain during the third ODI in Abu Dhabi and will not play in Sharjah, although a Cricket Australia spokesperson said he was to be rested from the warm-up game in any case.On Monday, Warner said on Sydney radio that he was confident of being fit for the Test and a similar groin injury he had suffered in the past had taken only a week to heal. His absence from the tour game will provide another opportunity for the batsmen Phillip Hughes and Alex Doolan, who appear to be competing for the No.3 position for the first Test.As the incumbent from the tour of South Africa earlier this year, Doolan seems the most likely candidate to play in Dubai, but should Hughes score heavily in the tour game he might come into contention. Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe will be another player to watch against Pakistan A as he auditions for a possible debut, alongside Nathan Lyon.

Xavier Doherty has admitted he is under pressure to demonstrate that his World Cup selection ahead of Nathan Lyon, among others, will not be seen as a mistake

Daniel Brettig14-Jan-2015In Xavier Doherty, Australia’s selectors know what they’re going to get. In himself, Doherty knows what he can give: solid, serviceable left-arm spin, shorn of frills but well endowed with consistency.Self-knowledge alone does not always bring confidence nor performance, however, and Doherty admitted on Wednesday that he was feeling under pressure to demonstrate that his World Cup selection ahead of Nathan Lyon, among others, will not be seen as a mistake.Doherty pondered his Cup chances many times over the past few months. He had reason to wonder where they might be headed when Lyon was trialled in Zimbabwe and the UAE, and those thoughts only grew in urgency as the announcement of the Australian 15 crept closer last week. More than once, Doherty dropped himself.”It’s a nice one to get and you never know. I had myself in the team, then out of the team, and gradually the closer it got I wasn’t sure at all. So when the phone call came I was pretty excited,” he said. “I tried to avoid all the talk and the speculation but any time you seem to turn on the TV someone’s throwing a name up there and a smokey position and usually for that spinning spot.”Given there was so much speculation, I probably do feel that expectation to really nail it, and when my opportunity comes to take it.”An unassuming Tasmanian well acquainted with supporting cameos rather than lead roles in any team victory, Doherty is happy to concede his job in the tournament may turn out to be peripheral. He also said, a little apologetically, that in ODIs the crowds are not there to watch him bowl, but to see plenty of runs scored.”It’s part of the game,” he said. “The spectators want to see runs and boundaries and sixes and that sort of thing, so I think that’s the way the game’s been going for a few years now and that’s probably why the fielding restrictions have changed from five men to four to really up those scores a little bit. That’s something we’ve all got to accept and try and deal with as best we can.”I’m under no illusion I probably won’t play every game, and there are probably certain pitches where I’ll be looked at to come into contention. Given the way the team’s been picked over the last few years, there’s a game in Perth and Brisbane, and given the strength of our fast bowlers that would be the way they would look. But I feel if I’m bowling at my best I can make it pretty hard for the selectors as well.”Central to Doherty’s selection is the selectors’ belief that his less ambitious spin bowling is better suited to the playing conditions inked into the game since late 2012, when captains were reduced to having only four men outside the inner ring, making it exceptionally difficult to set fields for anything but the most precise bowling.The national selector Rod Marsh made it clear that Lyon, Cameron Boyce, Fawad Ahmed and others had all been put to one side by concerns about the runs they might concede under the prevailing rules, and Doherty agreed the loss of an extra boundary rider had played in his favour.”It makes it tough for legspinners, which has probably given me a bit of an advantage when it’s come to this selection,” Doherty said. “You really can’t afford to bowl bad balls because you’ve lost that protection to one side of the ground. So when you’re spinning the ball in, for me to a left-hander, it does make it hard. It means one side of the ground’s going to be unprotected.”Coming out of the Big Bash where you’ve had five men out, just bowling in the nets then you’ve got in your head, half those shots they’re hitting over midwicket now are going for four or six without that extra man. That’s something you’ve got to adjust to, but that’s the way the game’s been going. The authorities are after higher-scoring games and that’s the way it’s turning out and that’s what this World Cup will be, high-scoring affairs I’d imagine.”Like Nathan Hauritz, the man then ahead of him in the queue, Doherty was injured at the time of the 2011 World Cup. His experience as the spin bowler most consistently called upon since that tournament should give him a greater sense of comfort and confidence during the tournament, as he matures after the fashion of most tweakers.Initially, that comfort will be aided by the fact that Doherty will be working with George Bailey, his longtime state captain for Tasmania. They have been through a lot together, and while Doherty said he had generally been given greater freedom by Bailey than the full-time captain Michael Clarke, he has also been left exposed once or twice – notably against Kieron Pollard in the last over of the 2012 World Twenty20 semi-final in Colombo.”George and I have known each other for a long time, so he probably gives me a bit more rein than Pup does and knows my game a little bit better so will trust what I can do,” Doherty said. “George has been captain of this team quite a bit in the last few years as well, so I think everyone’s pretty comfortable under his leadership and I think it will be pretty smooth when Pup does come back into that.”Pollard, of course, won’t be at this World Cup. It is a credit to Doherty’s persistence that he will be.

Important runs and early wickets were the reason for Bangladesh’s 124-run win over Zimbabwe in the third ODI in Mirpur, which also gave them the series with two matches in hand

The Report by Mohammad Isam26-Nov-2014 by 124 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:04

Video report: Anamul and Sunny down Zimbabwe

Important runs and early wickets were the reason for Bangladesh’s 124-run win over Zimbabwe in the third ODI in Mirpur, which also gave them the series with two matches in hand.The visitors sunk to a new low, recording their biggest loss in terms of runs to Bangladesh in an ODI on the back of a whitewash in the Test series. This time Zimbabwe were chasing a daunting target of 298; only once have they chased a score that high to win. There was no repeat tonight as they were bowled out for 173 runs in 39.5 overs, with Arafat Sunny picking up four wickets for a second time in as many matches. Mashrafe Mortaza and Rubel Hossain took two wickets while Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah picked up one each. But it was the runs Bangladesh had posted which were decisive.Two polar opposite partnerships set Bangladesh on their 297-run pedestal: First came a steady 120-run accumulation between Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque which was built on by Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, who added 72 off 48 for the fourth wicket. Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman then provided the late flourish as Bangladesh carted 103 runs in the last 10 overs.Tamim and Anamul batted for 25.5 overs and were pried apart by a run-out. A slight mix-up was followed by Tamim losing his grip on the bat while trying to slide it to safety. Both his feet were in the air as the stumps were broken. It was his second run-out in consecutive matches, after he had made 40 off 63 balls with two fours, and a six hit over long-on in the first over.Anamul reached 50 off 66 balls, but played out 12 overs from 20.4 to 32.4 without a boundary. He eventually got nine fours in his 120-ball innings, a flick through square-leg and a lofted drive over cover standing out. He picked up four of his boundaries through third man and fine leg, and scored 39 runs behind square on either side of the wicket.Anamul Haque laid the foundation for Bangladesh’s victory•AFPAnamul fell five runs short of a fourth ODI hundred when he found deep midwicket off a Tafadzwa Kamungozi long-hop in the 36th over. Shakib and Mushfiqur got together at this point and smartly negotiating Bangladesh’s traditional bogey period – the second Powerplay – before launching into the Zimbabwe attack.Aside from the early movement, the visitors’ bowlers were largely ineffective and at times quite ordinary. Only Tinashe Panyangara stood firm with his 2-54, bowling a good first spell and capping things off well at the death.The others were wayward though and Shakib and Mushfiqur took advantage, hammering 45 runs in the three overs from the 41st. They fell in the 44th over, Shakib to a miscued pull and Mushfiqur dragging a Panyangara delivery onto his stumps. Mahmudullah and Sabbir got together and carried on the good work, adding 46 runs off 30 deliveries. Mahmudullah looked to be in good form, profiting from his wristwork to make an unbeaten 26-ball 33, while Sabbir also showcased his ability as a finisher with a 13-ball 22, including a reverse hit through third-man.Zimbabwe needed their top order to stand up if they had any chance of overhauling the target, but Mashrafe would not let them. He had Vusi Sibanda top-edging a pull to deep square leg in the third over. Masakadza was the Bangladesh captain’s next victim, caught down the leg side, but replays showed the batsman had not hit it. Masakadza had stood at the crease in disbelief and there were some heated exchanges as he left the field.Bangladesh lost Shafiul Islam to a strain on his right thigh but Rubel Hossain, who replaced him, took the third wicket having Timycen Maruma caught at mid-on for 8 off 16 balls. Maruma was playing in place of Sikandar Raza, but he couldn’t do justice to the chance.Brendan Taylor survived three leg-before shouts, and could have been stumped in the 13th over but he used those chances to try and get Zimbabwe back on track. He added 41 runs for the fourth wicket before Solomon Mire ran past Sunny, who had been the unlucky bowler with the Taylor opportunity, and Mushfiqur compensated well.Taylor, who had struck five boundaries including two beautifully lofted drives through cover, was out six balls later, trapped leg-before to Shakib for 28. Playing from the crease has not worked in this tour for Zimbabwe’s best player of spin. Sunny removed Neville Madziva and Panyangara off successive balls in the 36th over, before Kamungozi became his fourth wicket in the 40th over. Amid all this, the Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura was unbeaten on 53 off 46 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes, but his resistance was a mere footnote.

GOAL brings you a comprehensive list of the best young players to buy on FM 24

Football Manager 2024 is out now and, if you're anything like us, you're probably plotting your route to success in the game.

Get Football Manager 2024 now!Buy now

A major part of the fun of any Football Manager game is finding and then nurturing the best young talent around. Unearthing a largely unheralded wonderkid is one thing, but you need to manage them carefully in order to ensure that they mature into a world class player.

So you've decided who you will manage and to help you lay the groundwork for total domination in FM24, GOAL brings you some of the best wonderkids under the age of 20 to sign on the game.

GettyBest young strikers on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Endrick16SEPBrazilYoussoufa Moukoko18Borussia DortmundGermanyVitor Roque18ATPBrazilEvan Ferguson18BrightonRepublic of IrelandShaqueel van Persie16FeyenoordNetherlandsRodridgo Ribeiro17SportingPortugalMatthys Tel18Bayern MunichNetherlandsGabriel Silva16SportingPortugalEnzo Sternal16Marseille (OM)FranceTalles Wander19SPOBrazilSkye Vink17AjaxNetherlandsJamie Donley18TottenhamNorthern IrelandPau Sans18ZaragozaSpainIker Villar17SevillaSpainKarim Konate19RB SalzburgIvory Coast

Endrick is undoubtedly the highest rated young striker to buy in Football Manager 2024, with the SEP (Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, in case you are wondering) wonderkid being likened to Cristiano Ronaldo among others.

Brighton's Irish striker Evan Ferguson has been touted for a £100 million move so you'll need deep pockets to sign him, but there are other options too, such as Shaqueel van Persie, son of – you guessed it – Robin van Persie.

Countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands and Brazil can be happy hunting grounds for wonderkid strikers, but it is worth bearing in mind that Brazilian footballers cannot move abroad until the age of 18.

AdvertisementGettyBest young midfielders on FM 24

Player Age Club Nationality

Lamine Yamal15BarcelonaSpainWarren Zaire-Emery17PSGFranceStefan Bajcetic18LiverpoolSpainArda Guler18Real MadridTurkeyGiacomo Faticanti18SalentoItalyJunior Kroupi17LorientFranceEstevao16SEPBrazilNoah Darvich16BarcelonaGermanyRodrigo Mora16PortoPortugalClaudio Echeverri17RiverArgentinaShea Lacey16Man UFCEnglandBadredine Bouanani18NiceAlgeriaBen Doak17LiverpoolScotlandRoony Bardghji17KobenhavnSwedenYaser Asprilla19WatfordColombiaGianluca Prestianni17VelezArgentinaLorran16FLABrazilMikey Moore15TottenhamEnglandAndreas Schjelderup19NordsjaellundNorwayJoao Rego18BenficaPortugalKendry Paez16Independiente del ValleEcuadorGavi18BarcelonaSpainArchie Gray17Leeds UnitedEnglandAssan Ouedraogo17SchalkeGermanyJoao Neves18BenficaPortugal

If you are looking for a midfield wonderkid, be it a CDM, CAM, or winger, we've got you covered. Of course, there are a number of obvious candidates, such as Lamine Yamal, Warren Zaire-Emery or Arda Guler, but these players will require you to be in charge of a top quality team with a huge transfer budget.

Send your scouts to have a look at Brazil youngster Estevao, or Leeds United's Archie Gray, while Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez is turning heads so you need to move quickly.

GettyBest young defenders on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Alejandro Balde19BarcelonaSpainIvan Fresneda18SportingSpainRico Lewis18Man CityEnglandMichael Kayode18FiorentinaItalyGiorgio Scalvini19AtalantaItalyValentin Barco18BocaArgentinaAntonio Silva19BenficaPortugalJorrel Hato17AjaxNetherlandsOusmane Diomande19SportingIvory CoastEthan Butera17AjaxBelgiumLuka Vuskovic16HajdukCroatiaPau Cubarsi16BarcelonaSpainMilos Kerkez19BournemouthHungaryHarvey Araujo18FulhamEnglandAnders Borset17WolfsburgNorwayHector Fort16BarcelonaSpainMartim Fernandes17PortoPortugalXavi Grande18LevanteSpainThuto Mojanata16FeyenoordNetherlandsEmanuel15Real MadridBrazil

Barcelona boast a number of talented young defenders, including Alejandro Balde, but, depending on your budget and stature, you may have better luck trying to sign someone like Hector Fort.

If it's a tough-tackling centre-back you are after, you can't go far wrong with an Italian, such as Giorgio Scalvini, with Michael Kayode another option to consider.

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GettyBest young goalkeepers on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro19AZNetherlandGuillaume Restes18ToulouseFranceDennis Seimen17StuttgartGermanyDiego Callai18SportingBrazilBartosz Zelazowski18NicePolandSpike Brits16Man CityEnglandTommy Setford17AjaxEnglandChris Brady19ChicagoUSAFaaris Yusufu18SchalkeGermanyTommaso Martinelli17FiorentinaItalyJustin Joao Bengui17Lyon (OL)FranceCharlie Setford19AjaxEnglandFroilan Diaz17Union (SF)ArgentinaLuiz Turatto17ATPBrazilNorberto Bedolla17Club AmericaMexico

Traditionally, goalkeepers tend to hit their prime later on in their careers, but every now and then a precocious shotstopper emerges, like Iker Casillas or Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It remains to be seen if the likes of Dennis Seimen or Spike Brits will break through and become household names, but they have the potential to be star keepers in FM 24.

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From budget-friendly Starlancers to top tier UCL-branded official match balls

Every game needs a ball, and there's never been a wider range to choose from at adidas; boldly brilliant designs that stand out on the pitch, pocket-sized rockets to help train new skills, and specialist numbers for when the five-a-side has to move inside.

There's no being caught short on the field with these – here are 10 of their finest footballs to keep your feet busy all year long, no matter the weather.

Shop: Best adidas footballs

Tiro Club Footballadidas$21.99 at Soccer.com

This classic Tiro Club number does more than stand out on virtually any surface with its striking pink colour. Its machine-stitched finish will prove pleasingly smooth no matter the terrain.

WhWhat'sore, with a butyl-crafted bladder, air retention properties are practically second-to-none. Once inflated, it will stay pumped up for longer, allowing players to get on with the game.

UCL Pro Void Footballadidas$39.99 at Soccer.com

This season's official ball, you'll see this match-quality football shining on the pitch in the UEFA Champions League group stage matches. Sleek and eye-catching, it refreshes the iconic star symbolism of Europe's most prestigious club competition with a bright neon pattern.

Thermally bonded for a seamlessly smooth surface, its lightweight finish is fantastic for playing in all climates, particularly wet weather. Add the FIFA Quality Pro stamp, and you've got one match ball good enough for the game's gods.

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Tiro League TB Footballadidas£14.97 at PRO:Direct Soccer

The Tiro League TB brings a top-drawer finish to a low-budget ball to ensure some sizable bang for your buck. Treated with the thermo-bonding process typically reserved for pricier, top-tier models, its royal blue and silver metallic finish delivers a smooth touch on a traditional white palate background.

Certified with the International Match Standard stamp of approval, it's a quality piece of kit, whether pressed into action for more competitive means or just a knockabout in the yard.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has named Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed in the players by choice roster of the 2015-16 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League which is scheduled to begin later this month

Mohammad Isam07-Apr-2016The Bangladesh Cricket Board has named Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed in the “players by choice” roster of the 2015-16 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League which is scheduled to begin later this month. The draft system will take place on April 10 when 215 other cricketers will also be traded among the 12 Dhaka-based clubs.Shahadat’s suspension keeps him out of roster

Shahadat Hossain, who was granted bail last December following his time in prison for allegedly assaulting a housemaid, has been kept out of the roster.
Rakib Haider, the member-secretary of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, said that Shahadat was not included because the suspension imposed on him by the board in September last year has not been lifted yet.
“The selectors didn’t keep him in this list because of the board’s suspension,” he told .
Shahadat was arrested on October 5 after the Dhaka Police, on September 7, registered a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act against Shahadat and his wife on charges of assaulting their housemaid.

Sunny, the left-arm spinner who is a veteran of more than a decade in domestic cricket, has been placed in ‘A-plus’ category while Taskin is in ‘A’ category.The ICC had suspended Sunny and Taskin from bowling in international cricket during the recent World T20. Both have started to correct their illegal actions and the Dhaka Premier League, which is the country’s main one-day competition, will be their first competitive tournament since being suspended.Sanjit Saha, who was reported for a suspected bowling action in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, was named among the players in the ‘C’ category.Offspinner Sohag Gazi had also played in the Dhaka Premier League in late 2014 despite being banned from bowling in international cricket by the ICC.According to Article 6.1 of the ICC’s regulations for the review of bowlers reported with suspected illegal bowling actions, a bowler banned from bowling in international cricket will be allowed to bowl in domestic matches “under the supervision and with the consent of his/her home board”.

There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2015There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua with Peter Moores, the England coach, saying he has “earned the right to have a go,” but James Tredwell has emerged as a doubt for the second Test in Grenada.Tredwell strained his arm diving for a catch which rebounded off silly point late in the final session of the opening Test, as Jason Holder guided West Indies to a draw, and with the quick turnaround to the second contest could be struggling to recover which may create the opening for Moeen Ali’s return.Trott was dismissed for 0 and 4, edging outswingers from Jerome Taylor in both innings, in his first international for 16 months, which came after scores of 0 and 2 in the second two-day warm-up match in St Kitts. Both brief innings at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium were characterised by uncertain footwork, although he was not alone in that with Alastair Cook’s travails also continuing with a lean Test match.Antigua was only the second time in Trott’s 50-match career that he had opened the batting – the previous occasion coming against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2010 – and England have Adam Lyth, the Yorkshire opener, as part of their squad but the management will not be making any hasty decisions.”I don’t think you’re looking to change your opening partnership straight away,” Moores said. “I think Trott has earned his right to get a go. He’s come back into our squad and we’ve watched him play and we can see he is really hungry and playing nicely.”He’s been done by the swinging ball, so he’s working hard to get past that challenge, which will be there in Grenada and that is not going to change. But what we know about Trott is that once he gets in, he has that fierce determination and concentration to make people pay and that is one of his great strengths as a player.”I think if you take it in the whole context, that first game back was always going to be quite a tough one. But he’s back in and he’s got a good chance to go and show what he’s got. This is a player we’ve all watched play some brilliant innings for England and I think now is his chance to come back and show he’s still got that.”Trott’s position as opener had further been put under scrutiny by the potential return of Moeen who has joined the squad in Grenada after coming through the Championship match against Yorkshire to test the side injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup. One school of thought had been that he could open the batting, as he does in one-day cricket, alongside Cook to give the side additional bowling resources in flat conditions but an injury concern over Tredwell, who claimed five wickets in Antigua, could create the vacancy for Moeen.However, he still has to prove he can withstand the extensive workload that will come his way in a Test match having only bowled 11 overs against Yorkshire. Adil Rashid, the legspinning allrounder, is the other spin option available.”Certainly, Mo is one of the key players for us,” Moores said. “He had a fantastic summer last year and a good winter. Mo is very much part of our plans. We have to check where he is at because he’s had this stomach strain but Mo feels very good about it.”Tredwell’s got a niggle in his arm, diving for the catch that came off Gary’s boot. He stretched quite a lot for that. We’ll see how he scrubs up over the next couple of days and see if he’s available for the next Test.”England currently have 17 players on duty in West Indies following Moeen’s arrival, with quick bowlers Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett providing options should the pace attack need freshening up although that would appear an unlikely route.