Ángel Di María a Tactical Schemer Focused More on Structure Than Star Quality

 Ángel Di María tasted Champions League glory with Real Madrid in 2014 and has shown his value to this PSG side in Portugal. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Ángel Di María tasted Champions League glory with Real Madrid in 2014 and has shown his value to this PSG side in Portugal. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
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Ángel Di María a Tactical Schemer Focused More on Structure Than Star Quality

 Ángel Di María tasted Champions League glory with Real Madrid in 2014 and has shown his value to this PSG side in Portugal. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images
Ángel Di María tasted Champions League glory with Real Madrid in 2014 and has shown his value to this PSG side in Portugal. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

The critical moment of Lionel Messi’s international career, perhaps, came a little after 1.30pm on a Saturday afternoon in Brasília. Argentina led Belgium 1-0 in their 2014 World Cup quarter‑final. They were in control, playing well. The forward line, as usual, felt a mismatch of extremely talented but not particularly complementary players, but with a solid and well-balanced midfield, it didn’t really seem to matter. Then Ángel Di María pulled his hamstring.

Di María had a vital role in Alejandro Sabella’s side. Javier Mascherano mopped up in front of the back four. Lucas Biglia scuttled around alongside him. And to the left of the three Di María shuttled to the forward line, the vital link between two otherwise disparate units. His role wasn’t glamorous. He was easily overlooked. But once he was gone, his importance became obvious. Enzo Pérez, a far more defensive presence, replaced him. Argentina won the game and went on to reach the final, but in the five hours of football they played at that World Cup after Di María’s injury, they didn’t score another goal.

In football’s modern world of glitz and glamour, when it feels as though the super-clubs prefer to sign celebrities rather than submit to the rigours of following a coherent tactical plan, there is an irony in Di María finally beginning to be appreciated at the club that, for so long, was the market leader in placing star quality over structure – and the reverse of that is also true: Di María’s increasing prominence is evidence of PSG’s growing maturity. If they are to win the Champions League, it will almost certainly require Di María to keep Joshua Kimmich quiet and to exploit Bayern Munich’s aggressively high line.

For years, it seems, Di María has been underappreciated. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t look much like a footballer (although he does, from certain angles, bear a striking resemblance to Franz Kafka). He does not have the eye-catching footwork or goals return of many of his teammates. But he does have a remarkable capacity to link one line of a team to another, starting either as a forward or in midfield, and functioning as a bridge from one to the other.

In Tuesday’s 3-0 semi-final victory over RB Leipzig, he set up two goals with impeccable crosses and scored the other. But more than that was what he ensured didn’t happen. Against Atalanta, when he had been suspended, a gulf had opened between the front three and the other seven outfielders. Against RB Leipzig, PSG pressed more and the team was far more compact.

But this wasn’t even the first Champions League semi-final Di María has dominated. In the second leg in 2014, it was, as much as anything else, his countering ability, his intuition of when to carry the ball and when to offload it, that allowed Real Madrid to unpick Bayern as they won 4-0 at the Allianz.

He was the Uefa man of the match in the victory over Atlético in the final as well. Di María had made decisive contributions to the last two games as Madrid clinched la décima, and yet that summer he left. The club has always claimed it was because of the excessive demands of his agent – but that agent is Jorge Mendes, which made Di María’s continued presence at Madrid problematic after the departure the previous summer of José Mourinho, who had lobbied hard for his signing in 2010. Before the final, Madrid asked him not to risk his hamstring as they wanted to sell him to make way for the more obviously marketable James Rodríguez, who bears no resemblance to any gloomy Bohemian modernist.

So, having few options, Di María ended up at Manchester United, where he had never really wanted to go. The tendency is to remember Di María’s loss of form and the acrimony that surrounded his departure. But he started the season well and, in 20 league starts, registered three goals and a remarkable 10 assists. The downturn was perhaps in part caused by his frustration at the restrictions placed on him by Louis van Gaal, followed by a break-in at his home that left him fearing for the safety of his family. Di María is naturally introspective and that, combined with struggles with the language, contributed to a general loss of confidence and morale.

With Argentina, the situation is more complicated. Di María has won more than 100 caps, some achievement given the wealth of attacking options available to them, but he has undoubtedly been tainted by the years of failure, and the strangely stodgy football a concatenation of brilliant attacking talent habitually produces. There’s no obvious reason that the front three of Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Di María that won Olympic gold in 2008 shouldn’t have brought similar success in the senior game, but it never quite has.

While manager after manager has seen Di María and his versatility as part of the solution, there’s a constituency of fans and journalists who have begun to wonder if he’s actually part of the problem. And perhaps he is, but it’s also the case that his unflashy style makes it harder instantly to recall a goal or a run or a pass that could be entered as evidence for the defense.

And so to France, where PSG’s resources so dwarf everybody else’s that statistics become so distorted as to be meaningless. Di María’s goals return has shot up from one every seven games in the rest of his career to one in every three – but so it should. But far more significant is his less conspicuous contribution.

Di María is one of the very few to have played with Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. He has thrived with each of them. He is unselfish, makes covering runs, creates space and compensates for their sporadic approach to pressing. It is easy to see why coaches, other than Van Gaal, appreciate an industrious player who naturally balances a side. Then, every now and again, he has a game like he did against Leipzig, and offers a reminder that he’s also an exceptional talent in his own right. To borrow from John Milton, they also serve, who only run about lots in tactically intelligent and selfless patterns.

The Guardian Sport



Tottenham Hotspur Sack Head Coach Thomas Frank

(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
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Tottenham Hotspur Sack Head Coach Thomas Frank

(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/

Thomas Frank was fired by Tottenham on Wednesday after only eight months in charge and with his team just five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Despite leading Spurs to the round of 16 in the Champions League, Frank has overseen a desperate domestic campaign. A 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday means Spurs are still to win in the league in 2026.

“The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today,” Tottenham said in a statement. “Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

“However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.”

Frank’s exit means Spurs are on the lookout for a sixth head coach in less than seven years since Mauricio Pochettino departed in 2019.


Marseille Coach De Zerbi Leaves After Humiliating 5-0 Loss to PSG 

Marseille's Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi looks on from the technical area during the French Cup round of 32 football match between FC Bayeux and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Michel-d'Ornano Stadium in Caen on January 13, 2026. (AFP) 
Marseille's Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi looks on from the technical area during the French Cup round of 32 football match between FC Bayeux and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Michel-d'Ornano Stadium in Caen on January 13, 2026. (AFP) 
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Marseille Coach De Zerbi Leaves After Humiliating 5-0 Loss to PSG 

Marseille's Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi looks on from the technical area during the French Cup round of 32 football match between FC Bayeux and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Michel-d'Ornano Stadium in Caen on January 13, 2026. (AFP) 
Marseille's Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi looks on from the technical area during the French Cup round of 32 football match between FC Bayeux and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Michel-d'Ornano Stadium in Caen on January 13, 2026. (AFP) 

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi is leaving the French league club in the wake of a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of PSG in French soccer biggest game.

The nine-time French champions said on Wednesday that they have ended “their collaboration by mutual agreement.”

The heavy loss Sunday at the Parc des Princes restored defending champion PSG’s two-point lead over Lens after 21 rounds, with Marseille in fourth place after the humiliating defeat.

De Zerbi's exit followed another embarrassing 3-0 loss at Club Brugge two weeks ago that resulted in Marseille exiting the Champions League.

De Zerbi, who had apologized to Marseille fans after the loss against bitter rival PSG, joined Marseille in 2024 after two seasons in charge at Brighton. After tightening things up tactically in Marseille during his first season, his recent choices had left many observers puzzled.

“Following consultations involving all stakeholders in the club’s leadership — the owner, president, director of football and head coach — it was decided to opt for a change at the head of the first team,” Marseille said. “This was a collective and difficult decision, taken after thorough consideration, in the best interests of the club and in order to address the sporting challenges of the end of the season.”

De Zerbi led Marseille to a second-place finish last season. Marseille did not immediately announce a replacement for De Zerbi ahead of Saturday's league match against Strasbourg.

Since American owner Frank McCourt bought Marseille in 2016, the former powerhouse of French soccer has failed to find any form of stability, with a succession of coaches and crises that sometimes turned violent.

Marseille dominated domestic soccer in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was the only French team to win the Champions League before PSG claimed the trophy last year. It hasn’t won its own league title since 2010.


Olympic Fans Hunt for Plushies of Mascots Milo and Tina as They Fly off Shelves 

Fans take selfies with the Olympic mascot Tina at the finish area of an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP)
Fans take selfies with the Olympic mascot Tina at the finish area of an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP)
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Olympic Fans Hunt for Plushies of Mascots Milo and Tina as They Fly off Shelves 

Fans take selfies with the Olympic mascot Tina at the finish area of an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP)
Fans take selfies with the Olympic mascot Tina at the finish area of an alpine ski, slalom portion of a women's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP)

For fans of the Milan Cortina Olympic mascots, the eponymous Milo and Tina, it's been nearly impossible to find a plush toy of the stoat siblings in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Many of the official Olympics stores in the host cities are already sold out, less than a week into the Winter Games.

“I think the only way to get them is to actually win a medal,” Julia Peeler joked Tuesday in central Milan, where Tina and Milo characters posed for photos with fans.

The 38-year-old from South Carolina is on the hunt for the plushies for her niece. She's already bought some mascot pins, but she won't wear them on her lanyard. Peeler wants to avoid anyone trying to swap for them in a pin trade, a popular Olympic pastime.

Tina, short for Cortina, is the lighter-colored stoat and represents the Olympic Winter Games. Her younger brother Milo, short for Milano, is the face of the Paralympic Winter Games.

Milo was born without one paw but learned to use his tail and turn his difference into a strength, according to the Olympics website. A stoat is a small mustelid, like a weasel or an otter.

The animals adorn merchandise ranging from coffee mugs to T-shirts, but the plush toys are the most popular.

They're priced from 18 to 58 euros (about $21 to $69) and many of the major official stores in Milan, including the largest one at the iconic Duomo Cathedral, and Cortina have been cleaned out. They appeared to be sold out online Tuesday night.

Winning athletes are gifted the plush toys when they receive their gold, silver and bronze medals atop the podium.

Broadcast system engineer Jennifer Suarez got lucky Tuesday at the media center in Milan. She's been collecting mascot toys since the 2010 Vancouver Games and has been asking shops when they would restock.

“We were lucky we were just in time,” she said, clutching a tiny Tina. “They are gone right now.”

Friends Michelle Chen and Brenda Zhang were among the dozens of fans Tuesday who took photos with the characters at the fan zone in central Milan.

“They’re just so lovable and they’re always super excited at the Games, they are cheering on the crowd,” Chen, 29, said after they snapped their shots. “We just are so excited to meet them.”

The San Franciscan women are in Milan for the Olympics and their friend who is “obsessed” with the stoats asked for a plush Tina as a gift.

“They’re just so cute, and stoats are such a unique animal to be the Olympic mascot,” Zhang, 28, said.

Annie-Laurie Atkins, Peeler's friend, loves that Milo is the mascot for Paralympians.

“The Paralympics are really special to me,” she said Tuesday. “I have a lot of friends that are disabled and so having a character that also represents that is just incredible.”