Archive June 25, 2025

England are only two games away from winning the European Under-21 Championship twice.

On Wednesday (17:00 BST), Lee Carsley’s team, which defeated the Netherlands in the semi-final of the tournament in 2023, will face them.

At 20:00, Germany takes on France in the other semi.

In the following 12 years, 10 of the 24 teams that won the European Under-21 Championship went on to win either the World Cup or the senior Euros.

Nine of those players were members of the impressive U21 squad.

Of course, Germany and England, who won in 2017 and 2021, have still time to do so.

In that same time frame, five more have advanced to the final but lost.

The U21 teams that have won the Euros and a significant tournament are:

29 players, including Laurent Blanc, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti, and Manuel Neuer, have won the U21 Euros and a significant senior tournament, according to the table above.

Many of the best players in the world have impressed at previous European Under-21 Championships, not to mention the winning team.

Rudi Voller, Blanc, Davor Suker, Luis Figo, Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Petr Cech, Juan Mata, Thiago, and Fabian Ruiz were just a few players who were honored with the “best player of the tournament” award.

There are a few false positives, though.

While Royston Drenthe only played once for the Netherlands, Renato Buso and Francesc Arnau, both of whom died, never won an Italian or Spanish senior cap. Fabio Vieira, 25, has not yet played for the senior Portugal team.

Although he never played for one of Europe’s top clubs, Sweden’s Marcus Berg had a successful goal-corcoring career.

More of a mixed bag of people are on the Golden Boot list.

Despite playing midfield, Andrea Pirlo, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and Alberto Gilardino were among the previous winners.

However, it’s unlikely that Luca Waldschmidt, Jan Kliment, Maceo Rigters, or Massimo Maccarone will be the subjects of any statues.

England won the tournament in 1982, 1984 and 2023.

In 1984, Mark Hateley and Anthony Gordon were given the honors of player of the tournament.

None of those 1982 and 1984 squads were Three Lions legends, and neither one of them won a senior cap for England.

Hateley, who was on both teams, won 32 caps, with five more coming from teams with 10 or more.

Cole Palmer is the most notable of the 2023 winners, and six more were selected for England from Thomas Tuchel’s final year.

England are only two games away from winning the European Under-21 Championship twice.

On Wednesday (17:00 BST), Lee Carsley’s team, which defeated the Netherlands in the semi-final of the tournament in 2023, will face them.

At 20:00, Germany takes on France in the other semi.

In the following 12 years, 10 of the 24 teams that won the European Under-21 Championship went on to win either the World Cup or the senior Euros.

Nine of those players were members of the impressive U21 squad.

Of course, Germany and England, who won in 2017 and 2021, have still time to do so.

In that same time frame, five more have advanced to the final but lost.

The U21 teams that have won the Euros and a significant tournament are:

29 players, including Laurent Blanc, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti, and Manuel Neuer, have won the U21 Euros and a significant senior tournament, according to the table above.

Many of the best players in the world have impressed at previous European Under-21 Championships, not to mention the winning team.

Rudi Voller, Blanc, Davor Suker, Luis Figo, Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Petr Cech, Juan Mata, Thiago, and Fabian Ruiz were just a few players who were honored with the “best player of the tournament” award.

There are a few false positives, though.

While Royston Drenthe only played once for the Netherlands, Renato Buso and Francesc Arnau, both of whom died, never won an Italian or Spanish senior cap. Fabio Vieira, 25, has not yet played for the senior Portugal team.

Although he never played for one of Europe’s top clubs, Sweden’s Marcus Berg had a successful goal-corcoring career.

More of a mixed bag of people are on the Golden Boot list.

Despite playing midfield, Andrea Pirlo, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and Alberto Gilardino were among the previous winners.

However, it’s unlikely that Luca Waldschmidt, Jan Kliment, Maceo Rigters, or Massimo Maccarone will be the subjects of any statues.

England won the tournament in 1982, 1984 and 2023.

In 1984, Mark Hateley and Anthony Gordon were given the honors of player of the tournament.

None of those 1982 and 1984 squads were Three Lions legends, and neither one of them won a senior cap for England.

Hateley, who was on both teams, won 32 caps, with five more coming from teams with 10 or more.

Cole Palmer is the most notable of the 2023 winners, and six more were selected for England from Thomas Tuchel’s final year.

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen believes that winning back-to-back World Championship titles would mean more to him than his gold medal from Paris.

In a stunning 2024, Team Ireland swimmer Wiffen claimed a 1500m and 800m freestyle double at the World Championships and won a historic gold medal in the 800m at the Paris Olympics.

The 23-year-old also won a bronze medal in the 1500m at the Games.

“Everyone says the hardest thing to do is to win a World Championships after an Olympics, and I’m up for the challenge,” Wiffen told BBC Sport NI in anticipation of this year’s World Championships in Singapore.

By winning his gold medal in Paris, Wiffen became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to claim Olympic gold in 36 years.

He will look to replicate that form when he heads to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, which take place from 11 July to 3 August.

After a golden 2024, Wiffen says he wants to add to his winning legacy and that has given him added motivation heading to the Worlds.

“For me, the Olympics is what everyone watches. If you can win consecutively over the next number of years then it becomes bigger than just winning an Olympics.,” he added.

“It becomes about being how many times can you win before you lose? Then you get to the point where you keep striving for that excellence.

“You’re trying to go bigger and bigger and you are bringing the curiosity of ‘what happens if I do keep winning?’ or ‘what happens if I lose?’.

After the Worlds, Wiffen will move his training base back to Ireland after a number of years studying and swimming at Loughborough University.

He will split his time between Dublin and America, where his twin Nathan will move to at the University of California later in the year, as he builds towards the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

The move will also mean the end of his successful partnership with coach Andi Manley, and Wiffen says he is undecided on who he will work with in the next stage of his career.

But for now his focus is on the World Championships, where he will add the 400 metre freestyle to the longer-distance 800m and 1500m.

Wiffen finished seventh in the 400m final in Doha before winning his two titles, admitting that “sparked something in me”.

“I don’t want to come in seventh place, I want to win. I’m adding it back in, I’m going to try and better seventh place as my goal.

“We’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping for a medal in it. It will be tough having now swam it for a year but I’m looking forward to it and the challenge.”

He added that the 400m would be treated as a “warm-up” for the longer events, but he is still aiming for a podium finish.

“This is going to sound weird because I try and treat the 400m as a warm-up. Even though I want a medal in it, we’re talking about trying to get that swim out of the way before the 800m.

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen thinks his gold medal from Paris would mean more to him than winning back-to-back World Championship titles.

Wiffen, a swimmer for Team Ireland, won a historic gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics and won a stunning 200-meter victory at the World Championships in 2024.

The 23-year-old also won a bronze medal at the Games in the 1500-meter race.

In preparation for the 2014 World Championships in Singapore, Wiffen stated, “Everyone says the hardest thing to do is to win a World Championships after an Olympics,” and he is up for the challenge.

Wiffen became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold in 36 years when he won the gold medal in Paris.

When he travels to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, which will take place from July 11 through August 3, he will attempt to replicate that form.

Wiffen claims that he wants to continue his successful legacy and that this will motivate him as he enters the Worlds after a stellar 2024.

Everyone watches the Olympics, in my opinion. If you can win consecutively over the course of an Olympics, that is more significant than just winning. “, he added.

“It turns to being how many times you can win before you lose.” Then you reach the point where you continue to strive for excellence.

You’re attempting to grow bigger, and you’re bringing the question “what will happen if I do keep winning?” or “what occurs if I lose?” ‘.

After spending a number of years studying and swimming at Loughborough University, Wiffen will relocate his training base back to Ireland.

As he prepares for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he will divide his time between Dublin and America, where his twin Nathan will live later in the year.

Wiffen claims he is unsure about who he will collaborate with in the coming years of his career and that the decision will also mean the end of his long-running partnership with coach Andi Manley.

His current focus will be on the World Championships, where he will compete in the 400-meter freestyle in addition to the longer-distance 800 and 1500 meters.

Before winning his two titles, Wiffen admitted that it “sparked something in me” when he placed seventh in the 400-meter final in Doha.

I want to win, not come in seventh place. I’m re-inputting it because my goal is to finish in seventh place.

We’ll see how it turns out. I’m hoping for a medal in it. I’ve been swimming it for a year, so it will be challenging, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.

He added that although the 400m would serve as a “warm-up” for the longer events, he is still aiming for a podium finish.

Because I try to warm up after 400 meters, this will start to sound strange. We’re talking about attempting to get that swim out before the 800-meter, despite my desire for a medal in it.

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen thinks his gold medal from Paris would mean more to him than winning back-to-back World Championship titles.

Wiffen, a swimmer for Team Ireland, won a historic gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics and won a stunning 200-meter victory at the World Championships in 2024.

The 23-year-old also won a bronze medal at the Games in the 1500-meter race.

In preparation for the 2014 World Championships in Singapore, Wiffen stated, “Everyone says the hardest thing to do is to win a World Championships after an Olympics,” and he is up for the challenge.

Wiffen became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold in 36 years when he won the gold medal in Paris.

When he travels to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, which will take place from July 11 through August 3, he will attempt to replicate that form.

Wiffen claims that he wants to continue his successful legacy and that this will motivate him as he enters the Worlds after a stellar 2024.

Everyone watches the Olympics, in my opinion. If you can win consecutively over the course of an Olympics, that is more significant than just winning. “, he added.

“It turns to being how many times you can win before you lose.” Then you reach the point where you continue to strive for excellence.

You’re attempting to grow bigger, and you’re bringing the question “what will happen if I do keep winning?” or “what occurs if I lose?” ‘.

After spending a number of years studying and swimming at Loughborough University, Wiffen will relocate his training base back to Ireland.

As he prepares for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he will divide his time between Dublin and America, where his twin Nathan will live later in the year.

Wiffen claims he is unsure about who he will collaborate with in the coming years of his career and that the decision will also mean the end of his long-running partnership with coach Andi Manley.

His current focus will be on the World Championships, where he will compete in the 400-meter freestyle in addition to the longer-distance 800 and 1500 meters.

Before winning his two titles, Wiffen admitted that it “sparked something in me” when he placed seventh in the 400-meter final in Doha.

I want to win, not come in seventh place. I’m re-inputting it because my goal is to finish in seventh place.

We’ll see how it turns out. I’m hoping for a medal in it. I’ve been swimming it for a year, so it will be challenging, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.

He added that although the 400m would serve as a “warm-up” for the longer events, he is still aiming for a podium finish.

Because I try to warm up after 400 meters, this will start to sound strange. We’re talking about attempting to get that swim out before the 800-meter, despite my desire for a medal in it.

Chelsea have navigated extreme heat, weather warnings and given debuts to four players in reaching the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.

The Blues have earned £28m thus far and will soon cover the £30m fee paid to sign striker Liam Delap from Ipswich earlier this month.

The new striker has impressed with a goal and an assist in his first three matches for the club on US soil while midfielders Andrey Santos and Dario Essugo have made their debuts in the competition – along with defender Mamadou Sarr.

But Chelsea also suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat when manager Enzo Maresca experimented tactically against Brazilian giants Flamengo.

However, they comfortably beat weaker Group D duo Los Angeles FC and ES Tunis.

After finishing second, Chelsea will face Portuguese side Benfica, who defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in their final group game.

Delap, who signed from Ipswich before the tournament, made his debut in the opening game against LAFC and was impressive. His chipped cross was his first assist for the club as he set up Enzo Fernandez’s second goal in a 2-0 win.

The striker struggled to make an impact on his first start in the following game against Flamengo, but scored his first goal for Chelsea in the final Group D match.

Delap’s deft touch and spin gave him space to cut inside and place his shot past goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said.

“It’s a great feeling, we needed to win and to get a goal is a special feeling,” said Delap.

Maresca added: “We expected the process to be quick with Liam because we know him and he knows us with the way we play.

“Against Flamengo he had three clear chances to score goals. That is already a good feeling because it means he is in the right position.”

Winger Pedro Neto excelled in the first two matches, scoring in both after rapid, powerful dribbles.

Jackson’s late studs-up challenge on Flamengo defender Lucas Ayrton at the end of a disastrous six-minute collapse, where goals from Bruno Henrique and Danilo cancelled out Neto’s early strike, put him in the firing line after a poor 3-1 defeat in the Blues’ second match.

The 24-year-old, on his birthday, had only been on the field four minutes after replacing Delap, with his suspension opening the door for his rival to also start the final group game.

Jackson was subsequently banned for a further match by world governing body Fifa, so will miss the last-16 tie against Benfica.

Chelsea were well-beaten by Flamengo with one source describing it as a “wake up call” about the level of South American opposition, who arrive at the Club World Cup mid-season.

Chelsea have been unfortunate to encounter unseasonably warm heat after booking a base at Philadelphia Union’s Subaru Park stadium and training ground.

Manager Maresca has described it as “impossible” to train in temperatures reaching 40C, which rank as the highest felt in the area in 13 years.

There have been health warnings advising against strenuous physical outdoor activity, so Chelsea have conducted “very short” training sessions with giant fans spraying cold water and drinks breaks after every drill.

Chelsea qualified for the Champions League – which is worth between £80m and £100m and should attract a new lucrative front-of-shirt sponsorship deal – before the Club World Cup.

But they are on for a double windfall, given the Club World Cup is the most lucrative competition in club football on a per match basis, according to Fifa.

The Blues made just under $38m (£28m) for qualifying for the tournament.

They earned another $2m for each win in the group stage, beating LAFC and ES Tunis. They will also earn $7.5m when facing Benfica in the round of 16, which takes their total to $49.5m.

There is a further $13.1m on offer for reaching the quarter-final, $21m for the semi-final and $30m for reaching the final. A further $40m is reserved for the winner.

It’s been a good tournament so far for the bank balance, but what about the fans? A total of 32,967 attended Chelsea’s final group game at the 67,000-capacity Lincoln Financial Field.

Bharat from the Philly Blues was one of them, and told BBC Sport: “I haven’t had any complaints about the organisation.

“I can understand some of the complaints about player welfare. It feels like they are using this competition as a dry run for next year’s World Cup and it will be interesting to see if they make any changes.”

UK-based Chelsea fan Cathy hasn’t missed an away game for 47 years and was one of the few to travel to the United States to continue her run.

“The pricing is too high considering the quality of some teams in the competition,” she said.

“It has left only fans of the teams involved in the competition interested in watching it and that is an own goal by Fifa.”

The club has revealed the club’s fans have access to 500 lower tier tickets priced at $153 and 466 value tier tickets priced at $35 for the game against Benfica.