Sunday's briefing: England U21s continue Euros defence as PSG begin CWC campaign
England Under-21s head coach Lee Carsley expects his side to improve at the European Championship (Martin Rickett/PA)
England Under-21s boss Carsley insisted his side still had plenty to improve on, despite a winning start at the European Championship.
Goals from Harvey Elliott, Jonathan Rowe and Charlie Cresswell saw Croatia defeated 3-1, with Sunday's game against Slovenia providing a chance to cement their place in the knockout rounds.
'It might seem a bit clunky at times, unstructured, but I thought the players took on board what we tried to do, lots of positives, the Czechs had good chances as well so lots to improve,' said Carsley.
'The longer I feel we can stay in the competition, the more clean our play will become.'
Dembele has Ballon d'Or dreams
Champions League winner Ousmane Dembele has eyes on the Ballon d'Or (JOn Buckle/PA)
Champions League winner Ousmane Dembele is chasing the 'holy grail' of the Ballon d'Or.
The forward's performances were integral to Paris St Germain's inaugural triumph in Europe's premier club competition but having conquered that challenge, the 28-year-old is looking to emulate his idol and former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi.
'Winning a Ballon d'Or when you're a footballer is obviously the holy grail on an individual level. It's something you dream of as a child,' Dembele told France Football.
'I've had difficult years with injuries, weak performances as well. This season I think I've been consistent, so we'll see what happens.
'It would be exceptional to have my name on the list and to be one of the favourites is already a great victory, although I hope to win it one day.
Bright future ahead for FC United
FC United of Manchester chairman Nick Boom believes the future remains bright for the club (Nick Potts/PA)
FC United want to continue being an 'antidote' to modern football as the breakaway club celebrate their 20th anniversary.
The Glazer family's controversial takeover at Manchester United was the catalyst for the club's foundation on June 14, 2005, offering an affordable, inclusive and fan-owned alternative for disenfranchised supporters.
FCUM reached the National League North and built a 4,900-capacity stadium within a decade and now the goal is for the Northern Premier League Premier Division side to kick on again.
'I think the future's bright. I think we're about to enter into our next grand phase,' chair Nick Boom told the PA news agency.
'We've spent a lot of time trying to kind of get the club into a position where it's financially stable and it feels like we now have got to a position where we can kind of invest.'
What's on today?
Newly-crowned Champions League winners Paris St Germain begin their Club World Cup campaign (Mike Egerton/PA)
Champions League winners Paris St Germain take on Atletico Madrid in an early glamour tie in the Club World Cup. Bayern Munich against Auckland City offers less allure. England Under-21s could secure progress to the European Championship knockout stage with victory over Slovenia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
17 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
‘Low key sick' – Fans want Club World Cup broadcast feature introduced permanently after watching Inter Miami opener
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FOOTBALL fans have been left impressed with a new television feature at the Club World Cup. The opening game of the tournament between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ended in a 0-0 draw. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Football fans were loving a new feature shown on Dazn's footage Credit: X formerly Twitter / @DAZNFootball 4 The referee's point of view is seen from a camera in his earpiece Credit: X formerly Twitter / @DAZNFootball 4 It shows his view as he awards a yellow card to Inter Miami's Tomas Aviles Credit: X formerly Twitter / @DAZNFootball 4 Fans were impressed and want the feature used permanently in broadcasts Credit: X formerly Twitter / @DAZNFootball However, while there was a lack of goals for viewers to sink their teeth into, fans were treated to a "ref cam" while watching on from Dazn. The first use of the feature was seen in the 25th minute of the clash when a yellow card was awarded to Inter's Tomas Aviles. Footage shared to Dazn's social media page showed the point of view from a camera attached on referee Alireza Faghani's earpiece. The Aussie whistler can be seen running behind the ball when Aviles clatters into midfielder Zizo, who had come off the bench in an early substitution for the Egyptian outfit. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL TALL ORDER Cristiano Ronaldo and son pose together but fans all spot shock detail Reacting on social media, fans seemed to be huge fans of the feature. One said: "Ref cam is low key sick. MLS has done this at All-Star Games in the past and it was cool too. I was dubious of it in a competitive match but it's been a big success for me in the opening CWC match." A second said: "This ref cam is actually useful." A third added: "An excellent addition to the game." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Another said: "Still very confused why we don't use better tech in today's game. It's 2025." A fifth said: "This Referee Cam should be standard. It would actually help VAR and its officials out a bit more, and it looks pretty cool, too." Dazn unveil brilliant Club World Cup promo video with legendary boxing announcer drafted in to ring bell on tournament Fans across football, including in the Premier League, have called for increased transparency in understanding refereeing decisions. In May 2024 Jared Gillett used a similar piece of kit in a clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Earlier this year, SunSport reported how FA chief Mark Bullingham backed changes to introduce them fully at the top level. Bullingham said: 'In the pro game, bodycams are more about if they will be good for the broadcaster. 'It is something which should be trialled — and potentially allowed. 'Initially, it might be trialled without audio and then with audio." Bodycams are used at grassroots level to protect referees from abuse. WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN
The Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Sun
Boca Juniors fans take over Universal Studios Florida ahead of Club World Cup as Ultras filmed singing on rollercoaster
BOCA JUNIORS fans took over Universal Studios in Florida ahead of the Club World Cup. The Argentine giants kick off their campaign against Benfica at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami tomorrow. 2 2 And fans have been making the most of the trip to the US, taking in the local attractions. A group of Boca ultras visited Universal Studios and enjoyed the rides and attractions. On one rollercoaster a group began chanting team songs and pumped their fists with enthusiasm. Social media users loved the fans' antics, with one saying: "They're crazy. Boca fans are crazy." The Club World Cup got underway on Sunday with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahly drawing 0-0 with Inter Miami. There are five rule changes being introduced for the competition including referees being given body cameras. Footage from referee monitor reviews will be aired LIVE in stadiums and AI will be used to collect live match data as part of Fifa 's partnership with Hawk-Eye. Semi-automated offsides will also be in use and balls will contain a sensor. And substitutions will be requested on a digital tablet rather than via paper slips. Boca Juniors are in Group C along with Bayern Munich, Benfica, and Auckland City.
The Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Low key sick' – Fans want Club World Cup broadcast feature introduced permanently after watching Inter Miami opener
FOOTBALL fans have been left impressed with a new television feature at the Club World Cup. The opening game of the tournament between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ended in a 0-0 draw. 4 4 4 4 However, while there was a lack of goals, fans were treated to a "ref cam" while watching on Dazn. The first use of the feature was seen in the 25th minute of the clash when a yellow card was awarded to Inter's Tomas Aviles. Footage shared to Dazn's social media page showed the point of view from a camera attached on referee Alireza Faghani's earpiece. The Aussie whistler can be seen running behind the ball when Aviles clatters into midfielder Zizo, who had come off the bench in an early substitution for the Egyptian outfit. Reacting on social media, fans loved the feature. One said: "Ref cam is low key sick. MLS has done this at All-Star Games in the past and it was cool too. I was dubious of it in a competitive match but it's been a big success for me in the opening CWC match." A second said: "This ref cam is actually useful." A third added: "An excellent addition to the game." Another said: "Still very confused why we don't use better tech in today's game. It's 2025." A fifth said: "This Referee Cam should be standard. It would actually help VAR and its officials out a bit more, and it looks pretty cool, too." Dazn unveil brilliant Club World Cup promo video with legendary boxing announcer drafted in to ring bell on tournament Fans across football, including in the Premier League, have called for increased transparency in understanding refereeing decisions. In May 2024 Jared Gillett used a similar piece of kit in a clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Earlier this year, SunSport reported how FA chief Mark Bullingham backed changes to introduce them fully at the top level. Bullingham said: 'In the pro game, bodycams are more about if they will be good for the broadcaster. 'It is something which should be trialled — and potentially allowed. 'Initially, it might be trialled without audio and then with audio." Bodycams are used at grassroots level to protect referees from abuse.
