Archive June 1, 2025

For the third year running, we’ve been looking at which football stories engaged our audience the most during the season across the BBC Sport website and app.

The average length of a story was based on the amount of time it took to read it thoroughly, as well as a quality ratio, which prevented the list from becoming one with only our longest pieces.

For the first time, rather than a single list, we’ve grouped the content into different strands to make it easier for you to pick out the pieces of most interest, but each list is in no particular order.

We’ve added a separate list at the end to show our most-read content for this season, so you can see which matches have been the most popular. We’ve also omitted content that has since been dated by news events.

‘ I was close to dying in car crash ‘

West Ham forward Michail Antonio reflected on his nearly fatal car crash in a March interview with the BBC.

‘ The cash came up to my torso ‘ – tales of a match-fixer

Moses Swaibu was one of Crystal Palace’s brightest prospects as a youngster, but he ended up working for a shady company based on money, danger, and fixing rather than football’s spotlight.

The air crash and the underdogs – a triumph for Zambia’s lost generation

A two-decade story that both revealed a nation’s soul and delivered triumph as unanticipatedly as it did disaster.

‘ I’d still be playing in the Premier League if I had behaved ‘

Before his off-pitch behavior attracted more attention than his talent on it, Nile Ranger was a £10, 000-a-week Newcastle United “wonderkid” with the world at his feet.

‘ I was effectively homeless after getting sacked ‘

Casey Stoney, the ex-england captain, describes how she and her family have rebuilt after being fired by the San Diego Wave.

The life, loss and legacy of Kevin Campbell

The former Arsenal and Everton striker’s tragic passing is discussed by Wayne Rooney, Andrew Cole, Tyrese Campbell, and others.

‘ I signed Barcelona deal – then had a stroke at 24 ‘

Six months after joining the England squad that won the World Cup final, goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck suffered a stroke.

The man who saved Wembley Stadium

How Arthur Elvin transformed from a tobacco kiosk worker to restoring Wembley Stadium’s historic site after 30 years of operation.

‘ Being misunderstood when you’re younger is so difficult ‘

Lucy Bronze, a defender for Chelsea and England, opens up about her autism and ADHD diagnosis for the first time.

‘ I want to be the best player in the world one day ‘

Why and how Martin Odegaard struggled at Real Madrid before joining Arsenal.

The Norway international arrived in Spain as the wonderkid everyone wanted, but he left more than five years later having made just 11 appearances.

The prince who remained in power.

As the world’s most expensive player returned to his boyhood club Santos, BBC Sport looked back at Neymar’s time with Barcelona and PSG.

How Thomas Tuchel transitioned from a barman to a three-lion.

The new England manager has been set the challenge of winning the World Cup in 2026, but how did he get to this point?

Sampdoria’s rise and fall

After a golden age in the 1980s and 90s, Sampdoria have now been relegated to Serie C for the first time – where did it all go wrong?

Virgil van Dijk’s creation

BBC Sport looks at how the 33-year-old centre-back recovered from early setbacks to become one of the best in the world.

Paul Mullin’s whereabouts?

He has been Wrexham’s leading scorer for the past three seasons but could not find a way into Phil Parkinson’s promotion-winning squad.

How Bordeaux, the French giant, came to be in the fourth tier

After handing in their licence as a professional club, the French side geared up for a “chaotic new reality”.

“Manchester United’s struggles are difficult to watch.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met up with BBC Sport in Istanbul shortly before his Besiktas side faced Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.

How Scott McTominay rose to fame at Napoli

Former Manchester United midfielder, Scotland international, Napoli title winner, Serie A’s Most Valuable Player. Scott McTominay is him.

‘ Controversial but a winner ‘ – who is Evangelos Marinakis?

What’s the future of football, Corner Chicken & Rory Delap 2.0?

New tactical ideas still flood into the league but nothing has emerged as the next great theory. Still, that did not prevent us from considering what might occur…

Embracing the chaos – breaking down Bournemouth’s rise

BBC Sport examined how the Cherries have handled the situation as Bournemouth battled for a European place in the Premier League this year.

Why Pep Guardiola’s tactics stopped working

In light of the rise in quick-fire football, BBC Sport examines why the Manchester City manager’s possession-focused tactics no longer work as well.

How Arne Slot has reinvented Liverpool since Jurgen Klopp

Since the current Reds manager’s arrival, BBC Sport has a closer look at some of Liverpool’s subtle tactical adjustments.

Arsenal’s ‘ dark arts ‘ – was there a case to answer?

We examine the tactics employed by Arsenal in their fiery meeting in light of claims made by Manchester City players Kyle Walker and John Stones to be “dark arts.”

How the role of a goalkeeper changed

The modern keeper has evolved from playing a crucial role in a team’s attack to keeping the ball out of their net.

Four tactical lessons we learned from Thomas Tuchel’s first games

Despite disappointing victories over Albania and Latvia, England’s manager has indicated that a more in-depth tactical plan is in the works.

The slow death of the screamer

Inside Erik ten Hag’s tumultuous time at Manchester United

With the beleaguered club calling time on the Dutchman’s reign as manager, Simon Stone looked back at yet another troubled period for the club.

Why do Chelsea keep a large number of young players in stock?

A Uefa report says Chelsea have spent almost £1.7bn in transfer fees in the five-year period to 2024. They continue to spend, though.

How does Daniel Levy run Tottenham – and would he ever leave?

BBC Sport examined the club’s management and potential future as Spurs struggled in the league and the chairman faced criticism from fans.

Could Wrexham really reach the Premier League?

Will the Hollywood-owned club, which has received three successive promotions, reach the top?

‘ A calamitous season for club at a crossroads ‘ – what next for relegated Leicester?

The Foxes made a full comeback from their 2023 defeat in the Premier League. This time their short-term future is far less certain.

Why are Newcastle United considering stadium options?

As talk about a stadium move for the Magpies intensifies, BBC Sport looks at why the club are weighing up the options.

Self-doubt, mistakes, and significant changes at Manchester City are the subject of an internal crisis.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague takes a look at the issues affecting Pep Guardiola’s side – and the potential solutions.

Marcus Rashford and Manchester United’s agonizing divorce

After 20 years at Manchester United, the forward left for Aston Villa, leaving many questions and few answers.

Four crucial concerns must be addressed by Everton’s new owners.

The Friedkin Group have taken over Everton – what are the key areas they need to immediately address at the club?

When Ramon Diaz assumed the role of Oxford United’s fourth-tier icon.

Premier League ticket price rises: How much do clubs make from fans?

Football fans can have a tribal feeling. But when it comes to ticket prices, there is unity.

Who is the most valuable t-shirt that football players swap out for?

Shirt swapping has long been a tradition in football, but what exactly do players do with the shirts they acquire?

When a manager moves back to his former club, does it work?

After David Moyes returned to Everton, BBC Sport looked at whether managers have enjoyed success in their second spells at clubs.

What does the rainbow gesture in football mean when there isn’t unity?

What does the rainbow armband controversy tell us about football &amp, LGBTQ+ rights?

Liverpool may have won the league, but they must rebuild with significant signings.

Arne Slot’s side must still rebuild with major signings despite winning the title, says BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty.

Did Dan Ashworth have to pay the price for the subpar performances of Manchester United?

BBC sports editor Dan Roan and chief football news reporter Simon Stone look at what led to the sporting director leaving his role after just five months.

What is required to pass the agent exam at Fifa?

BBC Sport’s Nick Mashiter sets out to pass Fifa’s agent exam – and speaks to those in the industry about what it takes to enter their world.

What’s happening to Jack Grealish, exactly?

After the highs of winning the Treble, Jack Grealish has fallen out of favour at Manchester City – but what has gone wrong?

What happens when managers publicly criticize their own players?

After Ruben Amorim publicly criticised Marcus Rashford, BBC Sport looks at other examples of managers calling out their players.

Why does “The Godfather” of PSR want clubs to spend more money?

Based on the number of unique visitors to each football story this season, these five pages were the most popular across the BBC Sport website and app.

1. Europa League final: Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United (21 May)

2. EFL Cup final: Liverpool 1-2 Newcastle (16 Mar)

3. FA Cup final: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City (17 May)

4. Premier League: Everton 2-2 Liverpool (12 Feb)

5. Premier League: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham (27 Apr)

The following selections are based on both editorial and viewing data:

Sir Alex

Phenomenal talent, unwavering passion and a will to win. Friends and foes on the incredible career of Sir Alex Ferguson – Britain’s most decorated football manager.

How to become a champions league champion

Locker room tales from Real Madrid’s revolution, Liverpool’s 2019 title run and Jose Mourinho’s triumphs reveal what it takes to be crowned kings of Europe.

Which football-inspired ball is the best for a flight test?

Nedum Onuoha tests the different types of footballs used in the men’s top-flight.

The Big Interview features Alexander Isak and Alan Shearer.

Newcastle United’s star striker Alexander Isak sits down with club legend Alan Shearer.

Anthony Elanga at Nottingham Forest on the verge of greatness

The following selections are based on a mix of listening figures and editorial selections:

The Manchester City Charges are playing football on trial.

Clive Myrie tells the football story of the century: the Premier League v Man City.

Giants in the sport

How Sir Alex Ferguson’s working-class origins shaped British football’s most successful manager.

Desert Island discs

Football manager Gareth Southgate shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.

The Tooney and Russo Show

England goalkeeper Mary Earps takes over the reins as the host to ask your questions.

Confessions of a Match Fixer: Sports Strangest Crimes

Moses Swaibu has the makings of a top-flight footballer – until temptation comes his way.

How Ronaldo, Firmino, and Toney are assisting Saudi teams to dominate in Asia

Are Saudi Arabia clubs now starting to dominate in Asia? Investigates World Football.

Match of the Day: Top 10

The Champions League XIs Alan and Micah choose.

In Focus – Gary Lineker speaks to Arne Slot

Since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer, the Liverpool manager discusses his accomplishments so far.

That Season When: Blackburn won the League

Kelly Cates recalls Blackburn’s famous title victory in 1995 with the aid of Sir Kenny Dalglish, Chris Sutton, and Alan Shearer.

72+ with Aaron Paul &amp, Jobi McAnuff – The Neil Warnock Special

In 2022, Oldham Athletic’s 116-year association with the English Football League came to an end.

The Latics became the first former Premier League team to leave English football’s top four divisions after an unenviable track record.

One man who witnessed the club at its lowest ebb three years later has started leading the charge back to league football.

The 31-year-old joined the club from Oldham in the disastrous 2022 season, but injuries prevented him from making two starts.

Fondop continued to play the club despite losing its EFL status, and he has since scored 37 goals in 113 National League games.

But what motivated him to remain in Boundary Park?

After the season’s conclusion, John Sheridan, the manager at the time, called me and said, “I need you to come back.” Because I signed you and you only played two games, you owe me. I want you to place this club back where it belongs, Fondop said.

That is why I came, and I didn’t have a chance to help them stay in League Two, so that’s always been my goal.

The club “must be in League Two; they must be higher than that,” the statement read. “It is a step-by-step process.

A takeover of the Latics by local businessman Frank Rothwell was completed between their demise from League Two and the start of the 2022-23 National League season.

Fondop said the difference between then and now is obvious and that Abdallah Lemsagam’s leadership of the club came to an end.

“The club is completely different now. More family-oriented ownership is now being used. The owners approachable and want everyone to feel like family, he continued.

It used to feel toxic. I was a player, but the environment at the time made it seem bad to me. It’s completely different now.

Oldham are not a club that has had much to celebrate in recent years because they have floated around the lower divisions of English football both before and after the turn of the century, having spent 21 years in the third tier before being elevated to League Two in 2018.

Their most recent advancement came in 1991 when they captured the then Division Two second-tier championship.

Their recent performance is depressing to read. The National League finished 12th in their first season, marking their first appearance in the top half of a division since 2009.

Fondop said he was inspired to attend a team meeting with manager Micky Mellon about the club’s tenure and the club’s promotion success.

“Promotion has been ongoing for 34 years. Since I’m 31 years old, I wasn’t even born when they promoted me,” Fondop continued.

“I left the gaffer’s instructions, went home, and wrote 34 years in bold on a piece of paper with my season goals on it,” I wrote on my kitchen wall. My thoughts are always with me.

Because I want to be a part of history and for fans to relive Oldham’s legacy, I keep thinking about it every day. More is being said than is known. It’s been sitting in my kitchen all day, but I won’t take it out until it is finished.

Fondop has an eclectic and varied musical palate and is considering how to ease his aches before leaving Wembley.

He said, “On gamedays I listen to gospel and that is what calms me down.”

Time to Say Goodbye is one of my favorite songs by Andrea Bocelli.

Paris St-Germain’s journey to Champions League glory started when the final giant symbol of the club’s so-called “bling bling” era was swept away.

The only remaining member of the superstar attacking trio, which included Lionel Messi and Neymar, left Paris following Kylian Mbappe’s decision to join Real Madrid last summer, allowing PSG to change their approach and direction.

Luis Enrique took his chance, persuading PSG’s president Nasser al-Khelaifi and Luis Campos, that he could create a younger, better, more cohesive side in the post-Mbappe era. He was referred to as “a footballing architect.”

Luis Enrique walks barefoot on the grass of Campus PSG, the club’s training ground 25 minutes away from their Parc des Princes home, every morning as part of his devotion to “earthing”, believing it brings him closer to nature and helps fight off allergies.

The 55-year-old Asturian has just completed the Champions League in Paris, leading to PSG’s devoted supporters who think he can walk on water.

His appointment in July 2023 was a clear sign that PSG were abandoning the superstar culture, a significant change in direction that appealed to a coach who had abandoned the team spirit.

French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Sport: “They wanted someone to build something for the future, with patience. The best choice was him.

“The considered people of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho’s caliber. These guys are winners but they win now. They don’t actually construct anything. Luis Enrique was in line with PSG’s requirements.

Former Brazil midfielder Rai, who was a member of the only PSG team to win a European trophy in the Cup Winners ‘ Cup in 1996, is also a Luis Enrique admirer.

For a team to be regarded complete and have a good chance of winning major titles, according to Rai, they need both talent and 100% commitment from all players, whether they are defending or attacking, with or without the ball.

The fact that Luis Enrique managed this in such a short amount of time, especially with such young players, is what is most impressive about the company. This shows that his tactical scheme was well understood, that the players believe in him, and that his system is very effective”.

The coach also demanded a degree of control that had previously been averted by Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Unai Emery, and Christophe Galtier away from the field.

Luis Enrique has absolute dominance over PSG’s playing situation.

Pierre-Etienne Minonzio, a Paris-based journalist for the renowned sports publication L’Equipe, told BBC Sport: “People at PSG understood there had been a problem of authority in the last few years.

” Galtier was a French manager, and a good one, but lacked the experience to impose his views. Although he was a very good manager, he was weak enough to confront Mbappe and direct him.

“Mauricio Pochettino and I were the same.” It was always said his obsession was to have peace in the dressing room. He made no choices that were in opposition to Messi and Mbappe.

Enrique didn’t possess that, though. He told PSG clearly ‘ If I am the boss and I will be the boss’. He is now the embodiment of the entire club and entire team.

Luis Enrique is obsessive about PSG and his own self-control down to the utmost standards, even getting his watch to notify him if he doesn’t stretch or move for 30 minutes.

In 2007, he successfully took on the Frankfurt Ironman challenge – a 2.4-mile swim, a 118-mile cycle and a full marathon. He completed the grueling Marathon de Sables, a 155-mile race that took place in the Sahara Desert in 2008.

After losing his nine-year-old daughter Xana to a rare form of bone cancer in 2019, he is, however, someone with true perspective.

Luis Enrique has said:” Her body is gone, but she hasn’t died. She is still with us.

She may not physically exist, but she does. Because every day we talk about her, we laugh, and we remember because I think Xana still sees us”.

PSG’s clear the air moment was Mbappe’s departure. The landscape at Parc des Princes changed after the French superstar left, despite his additional goals and a little genius.

Luis Enrique saw it as the opportunity to exert complete control on how PSG played, with brilliant, but ultimately individualistic, Mbappe gone.

Luis Enrique focused on developing young talent he could mold rather than established, frequently ego-driven, figures, despite the fact that this control was over a new “team” in the literal sense of the word.

A slow start to the campaign supported the coach’s belief that competing for the biggest prize, namely the Champions League, might require more than this season.

He may regard the Champions League victory as being ahead of schedule.

The new era of PSG, led by Manchester City, was officially inaugurated when they defeated them 4-2 on a rainy night in Paris. As a stand-in for his Barcelona struggles, Ousmane Dembele made a stunning comeo.

And so it went on, as this trio helped PSG take a wrecking ball to the Premier League’s elite, Liverpool, Aston Villa and then Arsenal beaten in the knockout stage to reach Munich.

Kvaratskhelia arrived from Napoli in January for 70 million euros (£59 million) plus add-ons to complete the puzzle.

Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, a long-time Kvaratskhelia fan, said: “He has everything I want from a winger, but a little more as well.”

” He always wants to take players on. He desires to attack opponents. He performs numerous tricks and movies. He does unusual things and he breaks lines. Never ever fearful, always upbeat, and interested in entertainment.

Although Doue had a slow start, the coach was completely invested in the young talent that would make up his new team, along with Barcola and Dembele, because Luis Enrique gave him one-on-one attention.

Rai remarked, “The young forwards at PSG [are] outstanding because they combine technical quality, tactical obedience, and physical intensity with personality. All of them have an impressive ability to dribble and improvise”.

Additionally, there is no preference for treatment. In Luis Enrique’s eyes, everyone is equal.

Dembele was dropped before the Champions League game at Arsenal in October after Luis Enrique expressed dissatisfaction with his work-rate in a Ligue 1 game against Rennes.

Dembele came back to PSG in a transformed and upbeat state, leading them to the Champions League, Coupe de France, and now Champions League.

At 24 years, 262 days, PSG is the youngest team to have advanced beyond the Champions League play-off round this season, according to average age.

And their intense, high-pressing style is illustrated by the fact they rank first in the tournament this season for shot-ending high turnovers – they frequently turn high-presses into attacking opportunities.

The famous Virage Auteuil, where PSG’s ‘ ultras ‘ gather at one end of Parc des Princes, was transported to Munich for one night only for this final.

To witness PSG cut through the Premier League’s best on their way to Munich, one had to experience the same level of expectation that was displayed in a wall of sound and color kaleidoscope of every game.

PSG’s supporters were denied the opportunity to watch the club’s only previous Champions League final, which occurred at Portugal’s Stadium of Light during the Covid pandemie, which they lost 1-0 behind closed doors to Bayern Munich.

So a special welcome awaited PSG’s players of the sort that has become familiar at Parc des Princes. Together, We Are Invincible, translates to “Ensemble, Nous Sommes Invincibles.”

Third-round leaderboard for Memorial Tournament

-8 S Scheffler (US), -7 B Griffin (US), -5 N Taylor (Can)

Other notables include -2 S Lowry (Irl), -2 X Schauffele (US), -3 T Fleetwood (Eng), 8 J Rose (Eng), and -9 M Fitzpatrick (Eng).

In a “challenging” third round of the Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, world number one Scottie Scheffler shot a four-under-par 68 to take the lead.

The 28-year-old American resurrected his impressive run of form, going three shots ahead of his compatriot Ben Griffin, who he had led by three early in the day.

Scheffler is chasing a third victory from his last four tournaments, so he went bogey free on Saturday, paring on the first 13 holes, and birdies the next 17 and 18 holes in style.

He held the lead on eight under overall thanks to that surge.

In his level-par 72, Griffin made five birdies and five bogeys.

Nick Taylor, from Canada, is three shots clear of the lead, while Shane Lowry, from Ireland, is in seventh place after one-over 73.

Scheffler described his low-scoring round as “incredibly difficult and proud of how I came out.”

Today’s score of par would have been a pretty good score, in my opinion, around this course.

“I felt like I could have gotten a little bit more out of the round,” he said, “but I felt like I was playing nice and a few lips here and there might have a little bit changed the score.”

I’ll be attempting to chase him down,” Taylor said of the difficulty of the title challenge against Scheffler on Sunday.

Billie Sky has just promoted her team, but she is no longer able to play for them.

Sky is one of 28 transgender women who are prohibited from playing FA-affiliated women’s football and are one of 28 registered for amateur football with the Football Association in England.

The governing body of English football announced that only those who were born biologically female will be able to play women’s football starting on June 1st, in accordance with the UK Supreme Court’s ruling from April 16 that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

Due to the ruling, Sky must no longer play competitive 11-a-side football for one of her teams, the London Galaxy. Due to the new policy, Goal Diggers FC, which the club has exited from all FA-affiliated leagues, will still allow her to play informally for her other team.

“I just took part in a season with London Galaxy and helped them earn promotion,” she told BBB Sport. “Now I can’t play with them, which is really sad. I put a lot of commitment into that club.

What should I do, exactly? Play with the men, then? because I don’t feel secure there. And I’m wanted by my team-mates in full.

BBB Sport approached a number of grassroots footballers who support the ban.

One football player, who plays in the sixth tier of the women’s game, was willing to provide an anonymous voice to the media while the majority of people did not want to disclose their opinions because they were afraid of reprisals.

Georgie (not her real name) believes that the FA’s new policy “protects the integrity of women’s football,” something we have worked for a long time to achieve.

When Sky, a devoted football fan, first started to transition, she had given up on the sport when she was offered the opportunity to join Goal Diggers FC, a club with a London footprint.

“I believe that this is where I spent my first life, when I didn’t consider myself trans or different or weird or whatever. The 28-year-old said, “I just felt like another person here.”

I discovered and adored the community. And that’s how I’ve lived ever since. My main trait is that I am a football player.

Sky, who first admitted to being transgender four years ago, claimed she “had a feeling” the ban was about to come.

She said, “It does feel frightful.” My safety net seems to have just been taken away, in my opinion.

As I’ve grown more confident on the field, I’ve become more confident as a person, and I felt like there was a real empowering nature to playing football for me. And I worry about squandering some of the chance to carry that story.”

The FA has written to transgender players facing a ban and offers “online talking therapy” or assistance with pursuing a career in women’s football, such as coaching or refereeing. The offer has been turned down by Sky.

As a graphic designer, Sky said, “I guess I could go into coaching or refereeing, but that’s not what my passion for the game is.” It’s being present on the pitch, interacting with people, and giving it everything until the last minute.

Georgie’s two brothers and uncle, who were heavily involved in the sport, and her family started playing football when she was five years old.

She said, “When I learned about the FA’s decision, it gave me a great sense of reassurance.

I was relieved that something was done to safeguard the integrity of the game, which is a place where I and many other women and girls rely so heavily.

“It’s not about excluding anyone,” he said. It’s about acknowledging the value of fairness and safety in sport.

Georgie, who is in her early 20s, claims that the scientific evidence supports her theory that the physiological differences created during male puberty have advantages that cannot be fully reversed by hormone therapy.

Because there are so few transgender athletes, there is only limited research on the possible impact of transitioning. However, research is still being done right now.

Georgie also told BBB Sport that her opinions are shared by the rest of her team and have been shaped by their experiences.

Two transgender women made up one of the teams we faced. She said, “I’ve witnessed first-hand how the physical differences on the pitch played out.”

None of us had consented to play in that kind of match-up, and yet we were put in that position. This isn’t something we see week in, week out in the women’s game.

Worse, we are told not to speak up when we try to. My coach made it clear as a captain that any insult I made to the FA or match officials, even politely, would likely lead to punishment. Many of us are silenced by that fear of retribution.

The FA changed its rules on April 11 to allow biologically male trans women to play in women’s football following stricter criteria before changing its policy a few days after the Supreme Court’s decision.