Tuchel: England World Cup Spots Up for Grabs for Top Characters

09 October 2025, United Kingdom, London: England manager Thomas Tuchel gestures on the touchline during the international friendly soccer match between England and Wales at Wembley Stadium. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa
09 October 2025, United Kingdom, London: England manager Thomas Tuchel gestures on the touchline during the international friendly soccer match between England and Wales at Wembley Stadium. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa
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Tuchel: England World Cup Spots Up for Grabs for Top Characters

09 October 2025, United Kingdom, London: England manager Thomas Tuchel gestures on the touchline during the international friendly soccer match between England and Wales at Wembley Stadium. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa
09 October 2025, United Kingdom, London: England manager Thomas Tuchel gestures on the touchline during the international friendly soccer match between England and Wales at Wembley Stadium. Photo: Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa

Players with exceptional quality and character will always have a chance to be included in England's World Cup squad, manager Thomas Tuchel said, as he takes a step-by-step approach to building the team.

Tuchel retained the squad from last month's Group K qualifying wins against Andorra and Serbia for Thursday's friendly match against Wales and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia, omitting high-profile names such as Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

Injuries also ruled out captain Harry Kane, Reece James and Noni Madueke, all of whom starred in the 5-0 win over Serbia.

Despite the absences, Tuchel's decision was vindicated as England secured an eighth successive victory over Wales at Wembley.

"At the moment, it is only about the players who are in camp," Tuchel told British media after the match.

"The competition is on. They deserve it also. And I am still absolutely convinced the guys who were in Serbia and against Andorra last camp deserve to be in this camp. This is where the focus has to be.

"The door is always open for ¬anyone to jump in. (Against Wales) we had four changes from the match in Serbia. We were forced to do four changes but it was seamless, and ¬everyone who started played with the same energy ... Happy that we can prove another point. Next camp is the next nomination.

"The nomination comes and then there is always an open door for top quality, top characters. We are in October now so we go step by step."

Midfielder Declan Rice said he was looking forward to having Bellingham, Foden and the injured Cole Palmer in the next camp.

"We are obviously an unreal team, and they're in the team as well. Let's not get away from that. What they've done in an England shirt is incredible," Rice said.

"As a team, we want to keep integrating everyone as much as possible before the World Cup."



Messi Suffers Muscle Strain, Miami Reschedule Preseason Finale

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
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Messi Suffers Muscle Strain, Miami Reschedule Preseason Finale

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega

Inter Miami’s ‌Lionel Messi did not participate in training on Wednesday due ​to a muscle strain in his left hamstring, with his injury leading to the postponement of what was supposed to be the reigning MLS Cup ‌champions' preseason ‌finale.

Inter Miami, ​who ‌are ⁠scheduled ​to open ⁠their MLS campaign on February 21, said the two-time reigning league MVP sustained the injury during a preseason game last weekend against ⁠Barcelona Sporting Club in ‌Ecuador, ‌where he scored but ​was substituted ‌in the second half.

Messi ‌underwent additional medical tests that confirmed the diagnosis.

"His gradual return to training will depend on ‌his clinical and functional progress in the coming days," Reuters quoted ⁠Inter ⁠Miami as saying.

As a result of the injury, the friendly between Inter Miami and Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, scheduled to be played on Friday at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Puerto Rico, has ​been postponed ​to February 26.


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.