Latest news with #RuudGullit
The Guardian
09-08-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Dael Fry header points Rob Edwards' Boro revolution in right direction against Swansea
It is almost exactly 30 years since goals from Craig Hignett and Jan Aage Fjortoft secured Middlesbrough a Premier League victory against Chelsea as they played their first game at a brand new Riverside Stadium. Even the presence of Ruud Gullit at sweeper in a visiting side featuring Mark Hughes in attack could not deny Boro a 2-0 win as an exciting decade peopled by, among others, Juninho, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Nick Barmby, Gareth Southgate, Gaizka Mendieta and Bolo Zenden dawned. Along the way Boro would reach three League Cup finals, winning one, while also losing FA Cup and, most excitingly, Uefa Cup finals, and bounce back from a one-season second-tier sabbatical. Teesside was firmly on not just the UK but the European map. Or at least it was until the economic profile of football ownership changed and Steve Gibson's club could no longer compete at the very highest level. These days the Riverside rarely rocks to capacity crowds and, after eight seasons out of the Premier League, a relatively modest 26,286 congregated to see how they shaped up under another new manager, Rob Edwards,. The good news for Boro fans is that the answer is so far, so good, after Dael Fry's winning header secured three points. Edwards is big on connectivity and he has taken the admirable step of attending supporters' events over the summer, canvassing opinions while attempting to tap into the local psyche. The former Luton manager has switched his formation to 3-4-2-1 while endeavouring to wean his squad off the slow, possession monopolising approach favoured by his predecessor, Michael Carrick. Edwards wants to see his team in high tempo, high energy, hard-pressing mode, but his players reverted to their old, often overly patient, habits. If Boro experienced a fortunate defensive reprieve when Ronald's high velocity half-volley went millimetres wide, Swansea's goalkeeper, Lawrence Vigouroux, did extremely well to fingertip Morgan Whittaker's shot on to the crossbar. Like Edwards, Alan Sheehan was anxious to endear himself to a newish public in his first competitive match after being promoted from Swansea's caretaker boss to full-time head coach. How the Irishman could have done with Luka Modric, a minority investor in Swansea, not being otherwise engaged staffing Milan's midfield. Sheehan speaks enthusiastically of the Croatian, claiming he has passed some invaluable technical tips on to the squad and is apparently looking forward to visiting south Wales in the near future. Anotherprofile-raising, celebrity minority investor is the American rap star Snoop Dogg, and he and his contacts are apparently already doing wonders to boost Swansea's commercial revenue streams. Snoop Dogg is also scheduled to visit the Liberty Stadium this season and has been forgiven for an unfortunate event in 2011 when he performed in South Wales wearing a … Cardiff top. As Swansea's chief executive, Tom Gorringe, puts it: 'We all make mistakes in life but he's got the right shirt now.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Fry headed Boro into an early second-half lead after his stooping connection with Whittaker's corner. It proved the cue for the home side to take control and only a timely headed interception on Cameron Burgess's part prevented Hayden Hackney putting Boro further ahead. Hackney's eye for a pass dictates that the 23-year-old midfielder does not lack admirers. Boro recently accepted a £20m bid for him from Ipswich only for a player who has been watched, repeatedly by, among other clubs, Newcastle, to reject that move. 'It's win-win situation for us,' said Edwards. 'If Hayden's here, great; he's a brilliant player. But, if he's not, the funds will be available for us to spend.' Sheehan is also presiding over a stylistic shift as Swansea transition from the possession approach of Russell Martin to a hybrid, slightly more direct approach. It did not quite work here, but Swansea will be far from the only team to stumble in the shadow of the Cleveland Hills. Thirty years after the Riverside opened its doors, Edwards aims to return the good times to Teesside.
Daily Mirror
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 revealed with 99-rated Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer
EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 has been released in Ultimate Team, with Team 5 being the final Futties squad. The final Futties squad of EA FC 25 has been released, with six 99-rated players included in the EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad. The Futties promo has been a raging success in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, with a mix of great promo squads and daily content helping EA Sports keep the promo relevant for over a month amidst the EA FC 26 hype. The EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 squad featured a 99-rated Ruud Gullit and Aitana Bonmati, but now, the EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad is in packs, with six 99-rated players included in total. The EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad is now available in Ultimate Team packs until Friday, August 15 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT/ 6pm BST, when a new promo squad should take its place in packs. EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 revealed Here's the official EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad, along with official ratings. EA has doubled the number of 99-rated players from three to six for Team 5, with three regular players and three Icons receiving the big upgrade. EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 (Icons and Heroes) CM: Andrea Piro (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR* CB: Franz Beckenbauer (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR* RW: Gareth Bale (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR* LB: Roberto Carlos (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR* CAM: Zico (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR GK: Peter Schmeichel (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CDM: Frank Rijkaard (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR LB: Ashley Cole (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR ST: Fernando Morientes (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR ST: Rudi Voller (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR *Five PlayStyle Plus' EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 (regular players) *Five PlayStyle Plus' More Futties players, Futties Icons and Futties Heroes will be released once again, with an incredible-looking 98-rated Futties Erling Haaland set to come as an SBC. EA will once again release big Futties-themed Evolutions, while on Thursday, August 14, the FC Season will refresh, with leaks revealing Season 10 will be called Pre Season, featuring promo items for newly transferred players.
Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 release date, predictions, and expected FUT content
Team 5 of Futties will be released very soon, marking the final week of the popular promo in Ultimate Team. The last week of Futties is upon us, with EA Sports set to reveal the EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad later this week. Unlike the Shapeshifters promo, Futties has maintained its excitement in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team since its release, despite the promo continuing for over a month in-game. More 99-rated Futties Icons and players were released as part of EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 last week, and very soon, more should hit the Ultimate Team store as part of EA FC 25 Futties Team 5. EA Sports has confirmed that Team 5 will be the final Futties squad released in EA FC 25, with eyes starting to turn towards EA FC 26 in the promo that follows Futties. Here's everything we know about the upcoming EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 promo squad, including the release date, leaks, predictions and expected Ultimate Team content. EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 release date The EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad release date will be Friday, August 8 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT/ 6pm BST, replacing the Team 4 squad currently in packs. This will be the last Futties squad to be released, with a new promo squad set to be released in its place. Thursday, August 1, is when a new FC Season will start in Ultimate Team, with leaks suggesting the new season will be called Pre Season. EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 predictions It seems every player in the game has been given a Futties item by this point, but this is a prediction of who we want to see in the EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 squad, along with some Futties Icons and predicted player ratings: Futties Team 2 predicted Icons and Heroes CM: Ruud Gullit (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR CAM: Socrates (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR RW: George Best (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR ST: Didier Drogba (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR LB: Roberto Carlos (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CB: Fernando Hierro (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR LM: Pavel Nedved (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR RB: Philip Lahm (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR LW: Paulo Futre (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR CAM: Marek Hamsik (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR Futties Team 2 predicted players RW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 99 OVR ST: Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - 99 OVR CAM: Cole Palmer (Chelsea) - 98 OVR LM: Nico Williams (Athletic Club) - 98 OVR CDM: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter) - 97 OVR CAM: Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig) - 97 OVR ST: Ouleymata Sarr (Washington Spirit) - 97 OVR CM: Adrien Rabiot (Marseille) - 97 OVR CB: Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 97 OVR ST: Nicola Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt Women) - 96 OVR RB: Sacha Boey (Bayern Munich) - 96 OVR EA FC 25 Futties Team 5 expected content The 'Best Of' Batch 3, released last week, will remain in packs alongside Futties Team 5, so no new promo cards will be re-released into packs. More Futties players will be released as SBCs and Objectives, both regular players and Icons. Huge upgrade packs will be released as SBCs, including guaranteed Futties player picks, and EA will continue to keep Evolutions active, with daily Evolutions expected. With the new season beginning during Futties Team 5, some new promo cards, which are expected to be based on summer transfers, should also start to appear in the Objective rewards menu.
Daily Mirror
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 revealed with 99-rated Ruud Gullit and Thierry Henry
EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 has been released, and alongside the new 'Best Of' Batch 3, it looks to be one of the best Futties releases so far. Despite all eyes being on EA FC 26, EA Sports has continued to keep the Futties train moving in EA FC 25 with the release of EA FC 25 Futties Team 4. Futties has been a hit so far in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, with EA Sports releasing three squads so far featuring a host of 99-rated players. The Ultimate Team community has been spoiled content-wise as well, with incredible Futties SBCs and upgrade packs being released over the last few weeks. With EA starting to reveal all about EA FC 26, including deep dives into EA FC 26 gameplay, EA FC 26 Clubs and EA FC 26 Career Mode, attention usually strays away from EA FC 25, but Futties has managed to stay relevant, with the EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 squad featuring more 99-rated players and a 'Best Of' Batch 3 release. The EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 squad is now available in Ultimate Team packs until Friday, August 7 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT/ 6pm BST, when Futties Team 5, the final Futies squad, replaces it. EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 Here's the official EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 squad, along with official ratings. Three 99-rated players have been released as part of the Futties Team 4 squad, with a 99-rated Futties Icon Ruud Gullit joined by Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona Women's Aitana Bonmati. EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 (Icons and Heroes) CAM: Ruud Gullit (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR* GK: Edwin van der Sar (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR ST: Thierry Henry (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR* RB: Javier Zanetti (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CDM: Xabi Alonso (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CM: Sebastian Veron (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR ST: Gerd Muller (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CB: Sol Campbell (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR LB: John Arne Riise (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR CAM: Hidetoshi Nakata (Futties Hero) - 97 OVR *Five PlayStyle Plus' EA FC 25 Futties Team 4 (regular players) *Five PlayStyle Plus' EA FC 25 'Best Of' Batch 3 EA has released 214 more promo cards into Ultimate Team packs, with players such as Immortals Icon Pele, Immortals Icon Ronaldo, TOTY Vinicius Jr and TOTS Virgil van Dijk being re-released. All of these players will remain in packs until Friday, August 14 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT/ 6pm BST, when the Futties promo concludes. Here's a select list of players coming as part of the 'Best Of' Batch 3 release, with these players now available in Ultimate Team packs: ST: Sophia Wilson (TOTY) - 97 OVR LW: Vinicius Jr (TOTY) - 97 OVR LW: Virgil van Dijk (TOTS) - 97 OVR RW: Mohamed Salah (TOTS) - 97 OVR CDM: Rodri (TOTY) - 97 OVR LW: Raphinha (TOTS) - 97 OVR RW: Lionel Messi (TOTS) - 97 OVR CAM: Pele (Immortals Icon) - 97 OVR RW: Lamine Yamal (TOTS) - 97 OVR ST: Kylian Mbappe (TOTS) - 97 OVR ST: Ousmane Dembele (TOTS) - 97 OVR ST: Cristiano Ronaldo (TOTS) - 97 OVR CAM: Jude Bellingham (TOTS) - 97 OVR CAM: Jude Bellingham (TOTY) - 97 OVR CM: Aitana Bonmati (TOTY) - 97 OVR CM: Alexia Putellas (TOTS) - 97 OVR CAM: Zinedine Zidane (Thunderstruck Icon) - 96 OVR ST: Ronaldo (Immortals Icon) - 96 OVR CAM: Diego Maradona (Grassroots Greats Icon) - 96 OVR CAM: Johan Cruyff (Future Stars Icon) - 96 OVR More Futties players, Futties Icons and Futties Heroes will be released as SBCs alongside a handful of big upgrade SBCs, while Futties Evolutions will be released as always.
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 25 Futties expected release date, leaks, predictions and expected content
Team 1 of the Futties promo will be released in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team this week, putting an end to four weeks of Shapeshifters It's time to get excited FUT fans, because the EA FC 25 Futties promo is just around the corner in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team. After four, long weeks of the Shapeshifters promo in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, it's time for a refresh, and one of the best promos in the FUT calendar is set to be released next by EA Sports. The EA FC 25 Futties promo is one of the biggest events in Ultimate Team, with five Futties squads being released in EA FC 24. During EA FC 25 Futties, players will get the chance to vote for what players they want to see feature in the promo, with these cards being released as SBCs. We will also get our first 99-rated cards of EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, with Futties one of the end-game promos before EA moves forward with EA FC 26. Here's everything we know about the upcoming EA FC 25 Futties promo, including the release date, leaks, predictions and expected Ultimate Team content. EA FC 25 Futties release date The EA FC 25 Futties Team 1 squad release date will be Friday, July 11 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT/ 6pm BST. The Futties release will mark the end of Shapeshifters in Ultimate Team, while the Euro 2025 Path to Glory players will also exit packs, potentially in place of another Euro 2025-themed promo. EA FC 25 Futties leaks As we're still a few days away from the promo start date, not many leaks have been made just yet, but we do know one part of the promo, with @AsyFutTrader revealing in a Tweet the Futties card design. According to the leaker, the iconic pink design has a bit of orange in it this year as well, giving it a slightly fresh look. As well as the regular card design, @Fut_Scoreboard has revealed the Futties Icon design, and it's one of the best-looking Icon cards we've had all year. The Futties Evolution card design is also known, with the 'Futties Countdown' Evolution giving out a special Futties card design for players who complete the Evolution. EA FC 25 Futties predictions Futties tends to be the first time of the year that EA includes new summer transfers as promo items, and after some big signings across Europe in the first few weeks of the transfer window, we can expect to see some of those released over the coming weeks. This is who we want to see in the EA FC 25 Futties promo, along with some Futties Icons and predicted player ratings: ST: Ronaldo (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR CM: Ruud Gullit (Futties Icon) - 99 OVR ST: Samuel Eto'o (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR ST: Kenny Dalglish (Futties Icon) - 98 OVR LM: Aya Miyama (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR RB: Carlos Alberto (Futties Icon) - 97 OVR CAM: Florian Wirtz (Liverpool) - 99 OVR CAM: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli) - 99 OVR RW: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) - 99 OVR CAM: Matheus Cunha (Manchester United) - 98 OVR RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid) - 98 OVR ST: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) - 98 OVR RW: Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) - 97 OVR RW: Chloe Kelly (Arsenal Women) - 97 OVR CB: Ingrid Syrstad Engen (Lyon Women) - 96 OVR CM: Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) - 96 OVR CB: Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) - 96 OVR LB: Olga Carmona (PSG Women) - 95 OVR GK: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton and Hove Albion Women) - 95 OVR EA FC 25 Futties expected content Futties is the favourite time of the year for menu grinders, with EA always releasing the 85+ x10 upgrade SBC during the Futties promo. One of the best ways to use fodder in the hopes of getting big players in return, this SBC is sure to be popular if EA releases it again. As well as the Futties squad in packs, a larger-than-usual number of players will also be released as SBCs and Objectives, something which the Ultimate Team community has come to love during Futties. A 'Best Of' batch should also be released in packs, and if EA follows the same pattern as EA FC 24, each 'Best Of' batch should remain in packs for two weeks, featuring 200 players at a time. Huge Evolutions will also be released, potentially even a 99-rated Evolution upgrade!
