Kelly the hero as England sink Spain in shootout to win Euro 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
World Cup winner Juan Mata's advice for Hong Kong champions' Australian striking recruit
New Tai Po striker James Temelkovski has arrived in Hong Kong with the recent advice of a World Cup and Champions League winner ringing in his ears. Last summer, Temelkovski secured a dream professional opportunity with the Australian A-League team Western Sydney Wanderers. However, the 27-year-old Australian made only eight substitute appearances in his single campaign. His solitary goal, against Central Coast Mariners, was created by former Chelsea and Manchester United forward Juan Mata. 'Even though he's a world-class footballer, as a human being he's one of a kind,' Temelkovski said. 'He'll put his arm around you and wants to know you and understand how you think. He was an incredible friend and mentor. 'He knew my time at the club was tough, but he told me he believed in me, that I was an unbelievable player, and I couldn't allow my head to go down. He said I had to keep striving to get where I want, because that's what a real footballer does.' Juan Mata with the World Cup trophy after Spain's victory in 2010. Temelkovski was close enough with Mata – part of Spain's 2010 world champion squad and a Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2012 – that the pair devised forfeits for their darts matches.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Al-Hilal sanctioned for skipping Hong Kong-hosted Saudi Super Cup, blaming Club World Cup
Al-Hilal will be banned from next year's Saudi Super Cup if they qualify, after their recent withdrawal from this month's four-team competition in Hong Kong. The Saudi Arabia Football Federation's (SAFF) disciplinary and ethics committee announced the decision on Tuesday. It came after holders Al-Hilal pulled out of the Super Cup, scheduled to be played in Hong Kong from August 19 to 23, citing player fatigue following their Club World Cup campaign. They lost 2-1 to Fluminense in the quarter-finals on July 4. 'Al-Hilal refused to participate in the Saudi Super Cup for the 2025-2026 season after the official schedule for the competition was issued,' the disciplinary committee said in a statement. Al-Hilal's Marcos Leonardo scores against Manchester City at the Club World Cup. Photo: Reuters 'As a result, the committee ruled that Al-Hilal had violated Article (59-3) of the Disciplinary and Ethics Regulations and fined the club 500,000 Saudi Riyals (US$133,000) to be paid to the SAFF,' the statement added.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Juventus link will see Kowloon City send talented Hong Kong footballers to Italy
Innovative football club Kowloon City have enlisted expertise from Italian giants Juventus in their bid to develop Hong Kong talent capable of shining in Europe's big leagues. The district club, who were promoted to the local Premier League last season, are entering the second year of a five-year plan that Andrew Mak Yung-pan, the vice-chairman, wants to conclude with 'the Kowloon City brand as an established name in the Hong Kong sports industry'. Along with aiming to be 'a conveyor belt' for the Hong Kong senior team, Mak said, the club had adopted a 'counterintuitive' policy of signing young players 'not with the prime objective of them playing for us'. As part of a technical partnership with Juventus Academy Hong Kong, which is launching this month, three coaches are relocating from Italy to help oversee the club's under-14, under-16 and under-18 teams. Mak underlined that the Juventus academy was not a franchising model and that every decision had to be approved in Turin, while the two-time European champions' Asian headquarters was in Hong Kong. 'We hope that by establishing a platform we can send players abroad as early as possible, but it has to be somewhere tailor-made for their characteristics,' Mak said.
