Snoop Dogg unveils Swansea kit in playful dig at Wrexham's Reynolds
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Qatar Tribune
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dpa Zurich England defender Esme Morgan says the Lionesses are 'very optimistic' captain Leah Williamson will be fit to play in Tuesday's Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy after she was forced off in their dramatic last-eight triumph over Sweden. Williamson rolled her ankle and left Thursday's contest in the first period of extra-time - after goals from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang snatched the Lionesses a late 2-2 draw after 90 minutes - before they booked a last-four spot following a nerve-jangling penalty shootout. Morgan was introduced as part of a 70th-minute triple change and is prepared to play any role for the defending champions in Geneva - including stepping in for the skipper, if necessary. But, she stressed: 'We are very optimistic that Leah will be available. She seemed in very high spirits this morning, and I want what's best for the team and that's absolutely having our captain on the pitch for us. 'The same as every single game, I'm going to be prepared to play if I'm needed. I'll know the role and just be absolutely ready to train at at high level over the next few days, but we're very optimistic Leah will be fine.' England boss Sarina Wiegman revealed after the Sweden victory that Williamson would be assessed on Friday, though no further updates were yet provided on the captain's status ahead of what will be England's sixth-consecutive major tournament semi-final. Williamson was spotted in a boot and using crutches immediately after the match, which was understood to have been a precautionary measure. Morgan said her mother was 'sobbing' when she came on for her first major tournament appearance, tasked with delivering a now-viral note to Bronze and Williamson she swears she did not read, suspecting it simply contained the formation but joking later on her Instagram account that it read 'save us GOAT', in reference to Bronze. And that's what the seven-time major tournament veteran ultimately did, when she sent what became England's winning penalty - with their seventh attempt - down the middle, before slamming the ball down in celebration.
Qatar Tribune
9 hours ago
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Flawless Scheffler leads at The Open after day 3 but McIlroy threat remains
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Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Snoop Dogg buys into Swansea City as rivals Wrexham targets Premier League
Snoop Dogg has become co-owner of English Championship side Swansea City in an unlikely alliance between the world of rap and football, the Welsh club announced. The 53-year-old American star joins former Real Madrid stalwart and Croatia World Cup finalist Luka Modric in the club's ownership structure. Snoop Dogg made a surprise appearance on the club's social media channels last week, modelling their new home jersey for the 2025-26 season, and the club announced on Thursday that he has become an investor. Swansea's Welsh rivals Wrexham have achieved a meteoric rise to the championship – the second-tier of English football – since Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the club in 2020. Swansea City is delighted to announce global rap superstar and multi-platinum selling artist @SnoopDogg has become the club's latest high-profile co-owner and investor. 👉 — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) July 17, 2025 Snoop Dogg's Swansea involvement comes after American businessmen Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen took over the club last November. Swansea will hope that Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, can use his 100 million-plus social media followers to boost the club's profile as they seek to return to the Premier League for the first time since they were relegated in 2018. Swansea's owners have said they want to generate greater revenue, which would allow them to invest more in new players under the profit and sustainability rules in British football. The 53-year-old rapper said on the club's website: 'My love of football is well known, but it feels special to me that I make my move into club ownership with Swansea City. 'The story of the club and the area really struck a chord with me. This is a proud, working-class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me. 'I'm proud to be part of Swansea City.' Swansea announced in April that Modric, who this week joined AC Milan at the age of 39 after leaving Real Madrid, had acquired a stake in the club. 'To borrow a phrase from Snoop's back catalogue, this announcement is the next episode for Swansea City as we seek to create new opportunities to boost the club's reach and profile,' Swansea's owners said in a statement. 'Snoop's colossal global fanbase and audience will certainly help us do that, and he has made clear to us throughout this process just how excited he is at the prospect of joining the club.' 'Snoop has openly shared his love of football and his desire to be involved in the game, and we expect his involvement to support us putting as competitive a team as possible out on the field.' Wrexham targets Premier League through playoffs Meanwhile, the Hollywood fairy tale that is Wrexham AFC is only just beginning, the club's chief executive said on Friday as the Welsh side continued its unlikely quest to crack the English Premier League. Since Reynolds and McElhenney bought the Welsh club in 2020, Wrexham has become the first team to earn three successive promotions from England's National League to the second-tier championship. Wrexham will play relegated former Premier League club Southampton in their championship opener on August 9, a prospect club chief executive Michael Williamson described as a 'pinch yourself' moment. Williamson, speaking in Wellington during the club's preseason tour to Australia and New Zealand, said success was more than simply making up the numbers. 'The expectation is, and Rob McElhenney will say that he doesn't know what this word is, but obviously we need to consolidate our position in the championship,' Williamson said. 'If we are able to find ourselves halfway through the season, in December, in that 3-4-5-6-7 position, people should be worried about us. 'Because I believe if we make the playoffs with the type of mentality that we have, anything can happen in 90 minutes. 'I really would give ourselves a strong shot of giving it a run.' The Welsh minnows languished for years in the lower tiers of English football before being bought by Reynolds and McElhenney, and shooting to fame through the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. They return to the championship for the first time in more than 40 years. The fighting words were echoed by former Wrexham player-turned-club ambassador, Ben Tozer, who was also in New Zealand for the tour. 'It's a massive challenge, don't get me wrong,' Tozer said. 'But the momentum of our club, four years of pure success and heading in the right direction, winning a lot more games than losing. We could surprise some people.' Fellow club ambassador, former Wrexham and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster, said the club had set itself apart by recruiting the right people. 'If you look at it in the cold light of day, the stark reality is that money is going to start playing a massive role now,' Foster said. 'When you've got players and clubs that have just been relegated from the Premier League, they're on big wages and they're big players and they're worth big money because they are of a calibre of player. 'But I'd like to think Wrexham can do it in a slightly different way where we identify the people, and the team is more important than the individuals.' Foster lauded a 'no d********' policy at the club, which meant players and staff were working towards a common goal. Chief executive Williamson said the policy started in the dressing room and was led by manager Phil Parkinson. Over the past year, Wrexham's staff numbers had grown by more than 60, to about 105. 'I would say most of the 60 or so employees that have been hired, I've personally interviewed at some point,' Williamson said. 'For me, it was important to bring in, especially on the senior leadership side, people who understood what Wrexham is and what we're actually doing here. We're not just another football club. 'There are people who had incredible CVs, experience. You look at them and say, 'Wow, you think that they would be incredible for Wrexham.' 'And then you go through the interview process and realise that they're not really understanding what Wrexham is as a town, as a community, as a club. 'That's something that took a lot of effort. We're trying to create a culture within the club.' Wrexham will return to Wales on Sunday, after playing Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand on Saturday evening. Parkinson confirmed the club was close to signing New Zealand international left back Liberato Cacace – a former Wellington Phoenix junior player – from Italian club Empoli. Cacace's father, Antonio, owns an Italian restaurant in Wellington where Parkinson planned to drop in for a glass of wine before leaving the city on Sunday.
