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Slot Pens Liverpool Farewell, Proud to Have Helped Write Important Chapter in Club History

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot watches from the side line during the FA Cup soccer match between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot watches from the side line during the FA Cup soccer match between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP)
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Slot Pens Liverpool Farewell, Proud to Have Helped Write Important Chapter in Club History

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot watches from the side line during the FA Cup soccer match between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot watches from the side line during the FA Cup soccer match between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP)

Arne Slot bid farewell ‌to Liverpool on Monday, saying he was proud to have led them to a 20th league title and was leaving the club where they belong: among Europe's elite.

The Dutch manager won the Premier League in his debut campaign but was sacked on Saturday following a turbulent second season where they finished fifth, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, and failed to win any silverware.

"Liverpool’s 20th ‌league title belongs ‌to all of us and ‌it ⁠will remain an ⁠important chapter in its history," Slot wrote in a letter published by the Liverpool Echo newspaper.

"For that we should all be proud. This club will always judge itself by the biggest honors.

"That is how it should be. But I also ⁠leave knowing the club is exactly ‌where it belongs: amongst ‌Europe’s elite.

"Securing Champions League football was an important responsibility and ‌one that ensures Liverpool can continue competing ‌at the highest level next season and beyond."

Slot also said he was confident in the club's future.

"The players who have given so much to this club, who ‌have upheld its values and helped create so many unforgettable moments, have ⁠built foundations ⁠that will endure," he added.

"At the same time, a new generation is emerging, ready to write its own story and embrace the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt. Change is part of football, but I know that this club will continue to make its people proud."

Liverpool have said the process to appoint a successor is underway, with media reports linking Andoni Iraola to the role after the Spaniard guided Bournemouth to sixth in the league.

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Tunisia Seek Fresh Spark as Lamouchi Reshapes Ageing Squad

Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
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Tunisia Seek Fresh Spark as Lamouchi Reshapes Ageing Squad

Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)

Tunisia carry quiet momentum ‌into the 2026 World Cup after cruising through qualifying without conceding a single goal, but familiar doubts remain over whether their disciplined approach can trouble the game's elite on the global stage.

Drawn alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden in Group F, Tunisia once again look set to rely on defensive organization and tactical consistency, qualities that have long made them one of Africa's most resilient sides.

However, recent performances have reinforced concerns about their lack of attacking edge against stronger opposition, with Tunisia continuing to depend more on collective discipline than individual brilliance.

Coach Sabri ‌Lamouchi has responded ‌by beginning a cautious reshaping of an ageing ‌squad ⁠ahead of the ⁠finals, leaving out established veterans including midfielder Ferjani Sassi and defender Yassine Meriah as he looks to refresh the team.

"These decisions were not easy; on the contrary, they were extremely difficult," Lamouchi was quoted as saying by FIFA.com after naming his squad.

"But I am not looking to make simple decisions, nor am I looking to select players to please ⁠anyone other than the Tunisian people - neither now nor ‌during the tournament."

Instead, Lamouchi has turned ‌to new faces and younger profiles as he attempts to inject greater energy ‌without sacrificing the defensive solidity that underpinned Tunisia's qualification campaign.

Among the ‌notable additions is Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira, the 32-year-old brother of former Germany international Sami Khedira, who switched allegiance earlier this year after spending his entire professional career in Germany.

The French coach has also recalled several younger ‌players, including Paris St Germain striker Khalil Ayari and Canada-based forward Rayan Elloumi, signaling a gradual transition ⁠rather than a ⁠complete rebuild.

Still, Tunisia's hopes may depend heavily on Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, one of the few players capable of producing moments of creativity and unpredictability in the final third.

The 23-year-old, who came through Manchester United's academy before moving to Burnley, is expected to shoulder much of Tunisia's attacking responsibility during the tournament.

Tunisia's pragmatic style has often made them difficult opponents in African competition, but their World Cup record remains modest. They have appeared at six previous World Cups but never advanced beyond the group stage.

Navigating a group containing the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden may ultimately reveal whether Lamouchi's gradual rebuild has given Tunisia enough quality and dynamism to compete beyond their traditional role as stubborn outsiders.

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Iraq Name Experienced World Cup Squad with Hussein Spearheading Attack

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
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Iraq Name Experienced World Cup Squad with Hussein Spearheading Attack

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)

Iraq head coach Graham ‌Arnold named his final 26-man World Cup squad on Monday, relying heavily on the core group of players who secured qualification through the intercontinental playoffs.

Experienced forward Aymen Hussein is set to spearhead the Iraqi attack in North America. The veteran striker, a talismanic figure for the national team, leads a potent frontline that also features Ipswich Town's Ali Al-Hamadi ‌and talented ‌youngsters Ali Jassim and Youssef ‌Amyn.

A ⁠notable omission from ⁠Arnold's selection was Dundee defender Dario Naamo. The full-back was excluded after recently changing his sporting nationality, having represented Finland at youth international level.

Arnold's midfield selections boast considerable European experience, headlined by Utrecht's Zidane Iqbal and ⁠Heerenveen's Aimar Sher.

Arnold has also ‌decided to keep ‌goalkeeper Kamil Saadi with the squad during the training ‌camp as a precaution against potential injuries. ‌

Iraq are returning to the global showpiece event for the first time in 40 years after beating Bolivia 2-1 in April to secure the ‌final World Cup spot. They have been drawn in Group I ⁠alongside France, ⁠Senegal and Norway.

Goalkeepers: Fahad Talib, Jalal Hassan, Ahmed Basil

Defenders: Hussein Ali, Manaf Younis, Zaid Tahseen, Rebin Sulaka, Akam Hashem, Merchas Doski, Ahmed Yahya, Zaid Ismail, Frans Putros, Mustafa Saadoon Midfielders: Amir Al Ammari, Kevin Yakob, Zidane Iqbal, Aimar Sher, Ibrahim Bayesh, Ahmed Qasim, Youssef Amyn, Marko Farji

Forwards: Ali Jassim, Ali Al Hamadi, Ali Yousef, Aymen Hussein, Mohanad Ali

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Qatar Seek to Move Beyond Shadow of 2022 World Cup Disappointment

Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Qatar Seek to Move Beyond Shadow of 2022 World Cup Disappointment

Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)

Qatar will arrive ‌at the World Cup seeking to redefine themselves after a disappointing tournament in 2022 when they became the first host nation to lose all three group matches despite heavy investment and lofty expectations.

Since then, the Gulf team have quietly reasserted themselves on the continental stage.

They retained the Asian Cup in 2023 and secured qualification for the World Cup on merit for the first time after automatically qualifying as hosts in 2022.

In North America, they will face Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia & ‌Herzegovina in Group ‌B.

Preparations, however, have been mixed.

Qatar suffered a ‌surprise ⁠group-stage exit at ⁠the Arab Cup on home soil in December, while planned friendlies against Serbia and world champions Argentina in March were cancelled because of the war on Iran, denying coach Julen Lopetegui a chance to test his side against top-level opposition.

Qatar's squad remains built around a domestically developed core shaped through the ⁠Aspire Academy system that underpinned their rise ‌over the past decade.

Many of ‌the squad have progressed through the same development pathway, giving Qatar continuity ‌and cohesion, though questions remain over whether a group ‌drawn largely from the domestic league has the depth and experience required to compete consistently with elite opposition.

Veteran Hassan Al Haydos, Qatar's most-capped player and a central figure in both of their Asian ‌Cup triumphs, came out of international retirement at Lopetegui's request and was in the preliminary ⁠World Cup ⁠squad, adding leadership and experience.

Much will again depend on the long-established partnership of Akram Afif and Almoez Ali. Afif, the creative force and Asian Player of the Year in 2024, remains Qatar's main source of invention and goals, while Ali — the country's all-time top scorer — continues to offer a cutting edge in major tournaments.

Qatar no longer carry the scrutiny that surrounded the 2022 finals, and the pressure may be lower than it was on home soil, but a favorable group and back-to-back Asian Cup titles have raised fresh expectations that they can translate their continental success to the global stage.