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De Zerbi to Stay at Tottenham Next Season ‘No Matter What’

Football - Premier League - Brentford v Brighton & Hove Albion - Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain - April 3, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds fans after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Brentford v Brighton & Hove Albion - Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain - April 3, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds fans after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
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De Zerbi to Stay at Tottenham Next Season ‘No Matter What’

Football - Premier League - Brentford v Brighton & Hove Albion - Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain - April 3, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds fans after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Brentford v Brighton & Hove Albion - Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain - April 3, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds fans after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)

New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi confirmed he will remain at the club next season even if they suffer relegation from the Premier League as he welcomed the biggest challenge of his career.

The Italian was appointed on a five-year deal on Tuesday with Spurs perilously poised just one point above the drop zone.

De Zerbi has just seven games to try and save Tottenham, who have not experienced life outside the top flight since 1978.

Reports suggested the former Brighton and Marseille boss had not keen to join Spurs before the end of the season, but was convinced by a lucrative five-year deal that put him among the highest paid coaches in the Premier League.

And he dismissed any suggestion of a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if Spurs did go down.

"I signed five years of (a) contract because for me it is a big challenge," De Zerbi told an interview with the club's in-house media channel.

"I will be the coach of Tottenham next season no matter what.

"Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career. I'm ready to start this challenge."

De Zerbi established a positive reputation for himself in England during a two-year spell as Brighton boss between 2022 and 2024.

His time at Marseille also started well, with the club finishing second to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season to qualify for the Champions League.

But he left the French club in February after failing to make it out of the Champions League league phase and following a humiliating 5-0 defeat by PSG.

His appointment has not been universally welcomed by the Tottenham fanbase.

Some fan groups have raised objections to his support for Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.

Former England international Greenwood was suspended by Manchester United in January 2022 following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault.

Prosecutors dropped charges against Greenwood in February 2023, who always denied the allegations, and he joined Marseille not long after De Zerbi in July 2024.

"I've never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone in general," De Zerbi added, speaking in his native Italian.

"Those who know me well know that I'm not the kind of person who compromises to win one more match, or to win one more title.

"I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with this topic. I have a daughter and I'm very sensitive to these things. I hope that as time passes, people will get to know me better and understand that I didn't mean to take a stance."

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Sports

Bobby Tambling, Chelsea's Former All-time Leading Goal Scorer, Dies at 84

FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
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Bobby Tambling, Chelsea's Former All-time Leading Goal Scorer, Dies at 84

FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)

Bobby Tambling, the Chelsea great who held the English club’s all-time scoring record for decades, has died. He was 84.

Tambling's death was confirmed Thursday by Chelsea, which didn't disclose more details, as well as Irish soccer club Crosshaven, where he had a spell as manager, The Associated Press reported.

Chelsea described Tambling as “one of our most legendary players” and said “his name is written very large in our history.”

His 202 goals in 370 appearances for Chelsea from 1959-1970 made him the team’s record scorer until 2013, when Frank Lampard surpassed the tally.

Tambling made his Chelsea debut at age 17 in 1959 and was part of the team that won the League Cup in 1965, scoring against Leicester in the final.

His five goals in a single match against Aston Villa in 1966 remains a Chelsea record. He also played for Crystal Palace, and earned three international caps for England.

After settling in Cork, Ireland, Tambling managed Cork Celtic, Cork City and Crosshaven.

Britain's Press Association said Tambling had been diagnosed with dementia in recent years.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that Crosshaven AFC announce the passing of our dear friend and former manager, Bobby Tambling — a true Chelsea legend and an even more wonderful human being," the team said in a post on X.

“His passion for football was absolutely infectious. Bobby leaves an enormous hole in all our lives. We are all better, kinder, and richer for having known him."

Sports

FIFA Bans Reusable Bottles at World Cup Venues Citing Safety Concerns

FIFA World Cup signage is displayed at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, 03 June 2026. EPA/CHRIS TORRES
FIFA World Cup signage is displayed at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, 03 June 2026. EPA/CHRIS TORRES
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FIFA Bans Reusable Bottles at World Cup Venues Citing Safety Concerns

FIFA World Cup signage is displayed at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, 03 June 2026. EPA/CHRIS TORRES
FIFA World Cup signage is displayed at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, 03 June 2026. EPA/CHRIS TORRES

Attendees of the World Cup will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into venues due to safety concerns, FIFA said on Thursday, following a last-minute change to its Stadium Code of Conduct.

The governing body, which had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums, said the updated code - effective from Tuesday - now prohibits them.

Other items like bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown.

"FIFA is committed to protecting the health ⁠and safety of ⁠all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff," it told Reuters in a statement. "FIFA made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees."

"Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations and FIFA ⁠is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums."

The move has raised concerns among supporters about coping with heat, with temperatures at a few venues expected to range between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, as well as access to drinking water inside stadiums.

FIFA said measures would be in place to deal with the conditions.

"FIFA works closely with each Host City Committee and local authorities on heat mitigation factors for fans ⁠traveling to ⁠the stadium, which can include resources such as misting stations, fans, hydration stations, cooling tents and more around the stadium footprint," the statement said.

"Inside the stadium footprint, pricing for water bottles for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will remain consistent with other events held at each stadium."

The 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, will run from June 11 to July 19. The tournament will feature 104 matches, up from 64 previously, including an additional knockout round.

Sports

Konate Opens Up on Depression after Deaths of Jota and Father

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - Liverpool v Paris St Germain - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 14, 2026 Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - Liverpool v Paris St Germain - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 14, 2026 Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo/File Photo
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Konate Opens Up on Depression after Deaths of Jota and Father

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - Liverpool v Paris St Germain - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 14, 2026 Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - Liverpool v Paris St Germain - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 14, 2026 Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo/File Photo

France defender Ibrahima Konate said on Wednesday he battled depression following the deaths of Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and his father while continuing to fulfil his football duties.

Portugal forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash last July, while Konate's father, Hamady, passed away in January after a long illness.

"There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so," Konate told France Inter radio.

"It's true that I've often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn't understand because ⁠they were earning ⁠a lot of money. But that's rubbish and you shouldn't say that."

The 27-year-old, who confirmed earlier this week he will leave Liverpool this summer, said Jota's death had taken a heavy toll on him.

"It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything else at that point," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"You go back to football because you ⁠have no choice. We're employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties.

"We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family – as well as ourselves. There's no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it."

At the same time, Konate was coping with his father's illness, leaving him unsure how to balance personal grief with professional commitments.

"I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whether I should go home and stop ⁠playing, because ⁠the team needed me too," he said.

"I didn't know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself."

He lost his father in January and returned early from compassionate leave to help Liverpool through an injury crisis but admitted he did not feel fully recovered.

"There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend. All of these tragic events happened so quickly and as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened," he said.

Konate, who has 27 caps for France, is a part of Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad for the World Cup.