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Thomas Partey is changing squad numbers at Arsenal, with the £45 million ($62m) midfielder trading in No.18 for No.5 at Emirates Stadium.

The Ghana interntional was a big-money addition at Emirates Stadium during the summer transfer window of 2020.

Big things were expected of him, but individual struggles mirrored those endured by the Gunners as a collective and the hope is that a "lucky" shirt will deliver an upturn in fortune during a second season in English football.

What has been said?

Explaining his decision to move down Arsenal's squad list, Partey has told the club's official website: "I like the No.5 because it's one of the most important numbers in the team and it is also a lucky number for me. 

"It's the number I've worn for the past few years, so for me it's one of the best numbers."

Who has worn Arsenal's No.5 in the past?

Greece international defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos was the last man to fill Arsenal's No.5 shirt.

He saw his contract terminated in January by mutual consent, allowing a return to his homeland to be made at Olympiacos.

Gabriel Paulista has also filled number five for the Gunners, as has Thomas Vermaelen.

Prior to that two iconic figures that helped Arsenal to Premier League title glory donned that jersey, with Martin Keown passing the baton on to Kolo Toure.

Partey's record at Arsenal

Niggling knocks prevented the former Atletico Madrid star from making the desired impact in north London.

He is, however, a proven performer at the highest level and will be confident of raising his game once clear of any injury issues.

The 28-year-old has taken in 33 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions so far, registering three assists as he waits on a first goal for the Premier League heavyweights.

Further reading

Pedri, Eric Garcia and Pau Torres are among a whole host of Spain's Euro 2020 players to have been named in the Tokyo Olympics squad.

Luis de la Fuente named his 22-man squad for the summer games on Monday, including a number of players currently starring at the European Championship. All of the 22 players will travel to Japan, but only 18 can be registered, with the other four on standby in case of injuries.

Those who have been selected to play will only have a 10-day turnaround period between the Euros and the Olympics if Luis Enrique's side make it all the way through to the final at Wembley on July 11.

Who else has been selected?

In addition to Villarreal defender Torres and Barcelona duo Pedri and Garcia, Real Sociedad winger Mikel Oyarzabal, Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon and RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo will also be required to take part in the games after finishing their duties with the senior team.

Real Madrid pair Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio have been included alongside Sociedad's Mikel Merino as the three overage players in the line-up, while Blancos centre-back Jesus Vallejo and Barca's Oscar Mingueza have also made the cut.

What's been said?

"The Olympic Games are a continuation of Euro 2020. I'm sure that everything that happens in the Euros will be positive for people to get hooked on us," Fuentes said after confirming his squad.

"These guys are the present and the future of Spanish football."

The Spain U23 boss added on the importance of the three over-23s in his final selection: "Asensio, Ceballos and Merino are just part of the group.

"We have been together for many years and they all know each other. They all bring veteran experience."

Fuentes also jumped to the defence of Simon, who conceded an own goal from Pedri in Spain's last-16 win against Croatia after failing to control his team-mate's backpass.

"I know Unai Simon. I know of his strength and his integrity," he said. "Yesterday he had an exceptional reaction after a difficult moment.

"He is doing very well."

When do the Olympics begin & who have Spain been drawn with?

The Tokyo Olympics will officially begin on July 22, but the football competition kicks off a day earlier, and is scheduled to run through to August 7.

Spain's U23s have been drawn in Group C alongside Egypt, Argentina and Australia, with their first fixture against Egypt set to take place on the same day as the opening ceremony.

Spain's U23 squad for Tokyo Olympics in full:

Goalkeepers: Alvaro Fernandez, Unai Simon, Alex Dominguez.

Defenders: Oscar Mingueza, Jesus Vallejo, Eric Garcia, Pau Torres, Oscar Gil, Juan Miranda

Midfielders: Marc Cucurella, Jon Moncayola, Martin Zubimendi, Dani Ceballos, Mikel Merino, Carlos Soler, Pedri

Forwards: Bryan Gil, Marco Asensio, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, Rafa Mir, Javi Puado.

A triple whammy has hammered the Italian sector if that saying applies to a national market. 

First, there was a prohibition on all gambling-related marketing, followed by the pandemic's impact and attendant lockdowns, and lastly, to add insult to injury, a tax hike while the virus was still raging. However, the internet sector has shown remarkable resiliency, and recent M&A activity in the industry suggests that future prospects are bright, at least at the top of the tree.

It may seem strange that when talking about the status of the Italian internet market in the previous year, the lines of a long-dead popular British legend spring to mind. Nonetheless, some of the lines delivered by Gus Elen, a cockney singer and comic, seems to be appropriate.

Similarly, the Italian gaming industry would argue it'd be doing OK if it weren't for the virus (Covid-19), its accompanying lockdowns, restrictions on gambling marketing, and recently increased taxes. Recent data backs up this assertion. Per Ficom Leisure, revenue from all internet sectors increased about 95% in February in comparison to the same period in the previous year, before the initial lockout.

The gross gaming revenue (GGR) for February was just €351 million, shy of the previous high of €359 million established in December. Almost all non-AAMS casinos and sports betting sites listed at Siti Scommesse Non-AAMS remained up upwards of 160 per cent year-on-year in March, and online casinos had their second-highest sum since the regulation began.

This backs the overall optimistic image for online or virtual gaming and, since sports resumed in June of the previous year, online sports income. "Due to the result of the lockdowns, a bulk of additional players have registered online accounts," explains Senior partner at Ficom Leisure in Rome, Christian Tirabassi. 

'We expect this trend will continue since many gamers have (grown acclimated to) wagering and gambling on the internet and on smartphones."

According to Fabio Schiavolin, CEO of Snaitech, 2020 demonstrated clearly the consumer appeal of online gaming, with Snaitech's sales jumping 58 per cent over the last year, which was considered a record-breaking year.

He adds that "2020 data demonstrated a clear indication of the digitalization of demand for all goods and services, supported by the 2020 retail lockdown with consumers enjoying the digital offer with greater confidence."

Betting shop managers at Snaitech are among the converts. "We have been concentrating a lot on acquiring online gamers via our points of sale for a long time now, sharing the income with the shop managers and establishing a true omnichannel perspective of the customers," Schiavolin explains.

"Even the most hesitant retailers have realized the significance of capitalizing on business digitalization, which has been their sole source of income in the months following the pandemic. We have been able to boost compensation to aid the retail network to deal with the problem and recover stronger when the opening is permitted, as we always concentrate on partnerships."

The Covid-19 outbreak and AAMS influence on Italian football clubs were one of the most visible challenges the gaming industry has faced in the last 12 months. Land-based gambling and gaming, in particular, were subjected to lengthy unavoidable closures and, as of the moment of writing this content, had yet to see any signs of returning. 

"Online sales have indeed been greater over the last 12 months, but they've not been sufficient to reimburse for the sector losses caused by shop closures," Alexander Martin, CEO of SKS365 explains.

However, the omnichannel endeavour was critical to the Italian business a long time before the new coronavirus came into the country in early 2020.

The Italian gambling industries were dealt a major hit when the Dignity Decree was passed in 2019, and practically all casino sales promotion was banned. However, the gambling businesses also had a role to play in the abrupt low level of awareness.

Lacking the formerly accessible assortment of advertising stimuli, the necessity to discover ways to push clients online prompted a more determined effort to use the retail presence as a lead generation tool. As a result, even when the latest marketing limits took effect in Italy, there was a seemingly counterintuitive increase in GGR.

The restriction on betting-related promotion appears to have had the effect of consolidating market share amongst those half-dozen major companies. Martin points out that SKS365 has become one of the big six sports betting operators holding a market share of over 10%, accounting for approximately three-quarters of total GGR.

England fans have become known for one of the best atmospheres in world football, and whether it's a friendly or a big tournament, fans can always be counted upon to bring wholehearted passion and enthusiasm to bear when cheering on their country.

There are the classics as well as the new creations, with England supporters revered as some of the most creative in the world when it comes to inventing a catchy tune.

Goal has put together a compilation of England's most popular songs to get you in the mood for your next trip to see the Three Lions.

You can also read about Liverpool chants, Manchester United chants, Chelsea chants, Man City chants, Tottenham chants, Arsenal chants and Everton chants.

Three Lions (It's coming home)

(To the tune of Three Lions by Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds)

It's coming home

It's coming home

It's coming

Football's coming home

It's coming home

It's coming home

It's coming 

Football's coming home

Southgate you're the one

(To the tune of whole again by Atomic Kitten)

Looking back on when we first met

I cannot escape and I cannot forget

Southgate you're the one

You still turn me on

Football's coming home again

Don't take me home

Don't take me home,

Please don't take me home,

I just don't wanna go to work,

I wanna stay here and drink all your beer,

Please don't, please don't take me home!

National Anthem (God Save The Queen)

God save our gracious Queen

Long Live our noble Queen

God save our Queen

Send her victorious

Happy and glorious

Long to reign over us

God save our Queen

Engerland

Engerland

Engerland

Engerlaaand

Engerland

Engerland

Engerlaaaand

Vindaloo

(To the tune of Vindaloo by Fat Les)

England

England

England

Na Naaa

England

England 

And we all love England

We're gonna score one more than you

England!

England 'Til I Die

England 'til I die
I'm England 'til I die
I know I am
I'm sure I am 
I'm England 'til I die.

We Love You England

We love you England we do
we love you England we do
we love you England we do
oh England we love you!

Former Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng has ended his contract with Euro 2020 broadcasters ARD to join his boyhood team Hertha Berlin for pre-season.

The ex-Black Stars attacker signed a one-year deal with the Bundesliga outfit recently after a season with Italian second division outfit Monza.

He has been a free agent and it prompted him to agree to a contract with the aforementioned broadcaster to work as a pundit until July 11.

However, Tuesday, June 29 will be his last day at the media firm as confirmed by the German side.

"We can confirm that [Kevin-Prince] is available for us to start training. Many thanks to those responsible for ARD for their flexibility," Hertha Berlin manager Fredi Bobic said as quoted by Ghanasoccernet.

Recently, retired former Dutch professional footballer Dick van Burik suggested Kevin-Prince had the potential to reach Lionel Messi's level.

The former centre-back captained Hertha Berlin and played alongside the Ghanaian in the same team between 2005 and 2007.

The now 47-year-old Dutch concedes the qualities of the attacker in the German team were world-class and much was expected from him. 

"Even when Kevin came from the youth to the first team, his potential was immediately world-class," Van Burik said.

"He can do things that you go to the stadium for. Even then he had the... attitude and simply showed what he can do. 

"He has become a great player but I actually expected that he would come even closer to the highest level of Messi. His passing game, the overview, speed, technique, and goal danger, he had it all. 

"That he is now returning to Hertha is a wonderful story. As they say in Holland, 'the circle is round again.'"

Kevin-Prince featured for 14 teams in his career, among them Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund on loan, AC Milan and Barcelona. 

Despite his brother Jerome Boateng opting to represent Germany at senior level, Kevin-Prince opted to play for Ghana where he made 15 appearances, scoring two goals in the process. 

On the other hand, Jerome has played 76 times for his country and scored one goal. 

Both players represented Germany at junior level before making different choices later on.

Josh King has accused Carlo Ancelotti of lying to him when making a move to Everton in February 2021, with the new Real Madrid boss giving a Norwegian striker few opportunities at Goodison Park.

A short-term deal with the Toffees was agreed by a 29-year-old forward as his contract ran down at Bournemouth.

Having netted 53 goals for the Cherries, with 48 of those recorded in the Premier League, King was expected to thrive on Merseyside, but he took in just 11 substitute appearances under Ancelotti.

What has been said?

Asked by Dagbladet whether an Italian coach had lied to him when talking up a switch to Everton, King said: "Yes I do [believe Ancelotti lied].

"That's how the football world is. This is how it is when you get to the top of the real world. That's the way it is. But no, I do not regret that I went there.

"But yes, he lied to me. But again, there are not many honest people who work in football. Except for the players, then. I had no relationship with Ancelotti.

"The gut feeling said Everton when their offer came on the table. But I had never thought that in 18 games I would not be allowed to start one."

King, who is now a free agent, added: "I do not regret that I went to Everton.

"I did not get the chance, not a single start. Had I got a start and not performed, I would have understood it.

"I had another offer that gave much more security, but was told that I would get to play and that I would get the chance at Everton. But it was not delivered, so then I feel that was not the intention, just.

"Do not trust coaches who promise you things and say you will get the chance, that you will start."

The bigger picture

King is now without a club, but has been linked with teams across Europe.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, has departed Goodison Park to take in a second spell with La Liga giants Real Madrid.

The Toffees are yet to appoint a replacement, with several names said to be in the running.

Ex-Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez appears to be leading the race despite objections from Everton fans to the appointment of a Spaniard that boasts strong ties to their fiercest rivals.

Further reading

Football lovers in Africa have taken to their social media accounts to react differently after France striker Kylian Mbappe's costly miss against Switzerland in the Euro 2020.

The star-studded Les Bleus came into the match as favourites but it was the Swiss team who scored first through Haris Seferovic after 15 minutes. Karim Benzema struck twice in the 57th and 59th minutes to give his team a lead before Paul Pogba made it 3-1 with 15 minutes to go.

The Swiss fought back and Seferovic completed his brace in the 81st minute before Mario Gavranovic struck in stoppage time to send the game to extra time.

After failing to get the winner in extra time, penalties were used to decide who advances to the quarters.

Switzerland converted their spot-kicks through Gavranovic, Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Vargas, and Admir Mehmedi.

Their opponents scored through Pogba, Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram, and Presnel Kimpembe before the PSG attacker failed to beat the goalkeeper, contributing to his team's elimination from the competition.

Here are the highlights of the reaction by African football fans.

Sampdoria have warned any suitors of Mikkel Damsgaard that the 20-year-old is "not for sale", with Barcelona and AC Milan among those said to be mulling over bids for the €50 million-rated (£43m/$60m) midfielder.

The promising Denmark international has been catching the eye at Euro 2020, with a prominent shop window found in which to display his talents.

His valuation is now said to be soaring, with big-money bids potentially in the pipeline, but his Serie A employers have no intention of listening to offers for a hot prospect.

What has been said?

Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero told GR Parlamento: "I don’t know how much he’s worth right now because he is not for sale.

"I am keeping a tight hold of him and we’ll help him to develop, because I want to make a healthy profit at the end of it.

"As far as I am concerned, he is worth somewhere between €30m and €50m. He has talent and he will go far."

The bigger picture

Sampdoria paid just €6.75m (£6m/$8m) to sign Damsgaard from Nordsjaelland in September 2020.

He registered two goals and four assists in 35 Serie A appearances during his debut campaign in Italy.

There is the promise of plenty more to come, with the target found at this summer's Euros in a stunning 4-1 win over Russia - becoming the youngest player to score for his country at a European Championship in the process.

Denmark are through to the quarter-finals of that competition, where they will face the Czech Republic, offering Damsgaard another opportunity to impress an ever-growing fan base.

Further reading

Simba SC have called on their rivals Yanga SC to stay behind and stage a guard of honour for the Mainland Premier League champions after their Kariakoo derby on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host their Jangwani rivals in a top-of-the-table clash that will likely decide the destiny of the league title at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Simba have already taken control of the 18-team league table as they are six points ahead of their rivals, and a win against the Jangwani giants will put them on the verge of a fourth straight title in the Tanzanian top-flight.

The two giants were supposed to play this fixture on May 18 but it was postponed after Yanga walked away at the eleventh hour when Tanzania Football Federation moved the kick-off time from 16:00 to 19:00.

On Tuesday, Simba media officer Haji Manara has urged their rivals to make sure they honour the derby and further asked them to remain behind after the final whistle to give the champions a guard of honour.

What has been said?

“We hope that Yanga will show up this time around, we hope they will honour the match, if they don’t show up then it will be another miracle but if they come I want to request the police to confiscate keys of their bus until we play the game,” Manara told Goal.

“They must show up and then decide to run away, so the best thing is to have the security forces keep their bus keys until we play the match, even if it means security taking the keys by force, then the better, then after the game, they can get it back.

“I also hope after the game; Yanga will remain on the pitch to give champions of Tanzania Simba a guard of honour.”

Manara confident Simba will be crowned

On what he expects from the derby, Manara said: “Of course Saturday’s game always has its own difficulties because it is a derby but in terms of the performance that Simba have displayed this season, the quality squad that we have, I don’t see any reason why we can’t get three points.

“We also know that one point will be enough to give us the title because we will reach 74 points and even if our rivals Yanga win the remaining two matches after the derby they will also reach 74 points but we have a better goal difference.

“I don’t think Yanga can manage 30 goals from their remaining two matches after our game and I don’t think Simba can lose the remaining four matches after Yanga game, that is impossible, so automatically even a draw will give us the title.

“The title is ours, we have the chance to win it, we only need three points to clinch a fourth straight title and for sure we will win the title, and we will beat Yanga because of the quality we have in our squad.

“The rhetoric’s that derby is always unpredictable will not count on Saturday, in the current situation the team with the best performance will always carry the day and everyone knows Simba are the best this season and we will beat them, we are better than Yanga 1oo times, and we will play at Mkapa where we slay rivals.

“We have prepared well, we don’t have injuries, we don’t have any player serving suspension, the technical bench has done their part and we want to show Yanga that we are the kings of Tanzania football on Saturday.”

During the first meeting, Simba needed an 86th-minute goal from Kenya defender Joash Onyango to snatch a late draw after Yanga had taken the lead through a 25th-minute penalty converted by striker Michael Sarpong.

Amiens SC have confirmed the signing of Nigerian youngster Emmanuel Arokodare from Latvian side Valmeiras.

The 20-year-old has penned a two-season loan deal with an option to keep him permanently for an undisclosed fee if he impresses at the French lower league club.

In a statement on their official website, Amiens have revealed the arrival of the player by stating: “Amiens are happy to announce the arrival of the Nigerian striker.

“Toluwalase Emmanuel Arokodare known as “Tolu” played last season at FC Köln in the Bundesliga where he was on loan from FC Valmiera (Latvia).

"The 20-year-old now joins Amiens on a two-season purchase option loan and will wear number nine.

“Welcome to Amiens Tolu!”

During his youth in Nigeria, Arokodare played for Kash Academy and Flying Sports Academy in Festac, as well as the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy.

He later joined the Box2Box FC academy in Surulere, Lagos, and had trials with European clubs SC Freiburg and Toulouse and then joined Valmiera in June 2019.

In September 2020, Arokodare was loaned to German club FC Koln for the 2020–21 season and made his professional debut in the Bundesliga on September 26, 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 76th minute for Sebastian Andersson in the away match against Arminia Bielefeld, which finished in a 1-0 defeat.

A week later, he was thrown into the fray in the 77th minute as Borussia Monchengladbach beat the Billy Goats 3-1.

Last season, the towering Arokodare came to the limelight in the Latvian top-flight after scoring 16 times in 15 games for Valmieras but he was later loaned to Koln, after going through difficult times that saw him fail to score in 12 matches.

His transfer to Amiens has seen him link him up with another Nigerian - Stephen Odey – who is on loan from Belgian side Genk.

Fernandinho will remain at Manchester City next season after signing a one-year contract extension with the Premier League champions.

The 36-year-old's current contract was set to run out at the end of the month but Pep Guardiola has handed him a fresh deal after he maintained his importance to the side.

Next season will be his ninth year at the Etihad Stadium since a move from Shakhtar Donetsk and City have previously discussed potential career paths in the future after his eventual retirement.

What's been said?

“In my head and my mind, the job is not done yet,” Fernandinho said after signing the extension. “And so that's why I decided to stay here another year and try to help the team and the club to achieve the goals that they're looking for.

"In my point of view, we can do that, there’s still places to improve and to get those targets. And obviously, for me and for my family it’s a pleasure to stay in Manchester for one more year.

“If I can keep doing the same way, leading them inside the pitch, off the pitch, to help them to improve and get better and to perform better during the games, I would be the most happy person there."

The bigger picture

The City captain was a crucial figure as Guardiola's side won their third Premier League title in four years and reached the Champions League final for the first time in the club's history.

As well as helping them to domestic success, Fernandinho started the semi-final second-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain but was surprisingly left out for the final against Chelsea.

He was linked with potential moves back to Brazil but is seen as a key influence at City and was credited with helping to turn the season around when he gave a motivational speech to his team-mates after an unconvincing start to the season.

"He is our captain; our leader and it is a position he has excelled in," director of football Txiki Begiristain said. "There are a number of talented young players in our squad and, therefore, it is vital we have somebody with Fernandinho’s knowledge and experience."

Further reading:

Paul Pogba's "maturity" has been questioned by Roy Keane after the Manchester United star was accused of lacking "discipline defensively" after France crashed out of Euro 2020.

France suffered a shock defeat to Switzerland after a penalty shootout in their round-of-16 tie at the National Arena in Bucharest, having blown a 3-1 lead in normal time.

The Euro 2016 finalists and reigning world champions lost their shape after going two goals in front, with Pogba among those guilty of failing to track back as the Swiss clawed their way back into the game to force extra time.

What's been said?

Pogba scored France's third goal on the night, curling home an unstoppable shot from just outside the box, but Keane thinks the midfielder let himself down at the other end of the pitch.

“I’d be looking at the goal they conceded in injury time, where he was really sloppy in midfield. That’s the bit I would be critical of,” the United legend told ITV Sport.

“That seems harsh because he has done some brilliant stuff. There is no doubting Paul’s quality, but it is just the other stuff, his maturity.

“We’ve mentioned all that. United have had all the problems as well, can he play in a two in midfield, he probably can’t because he doesn’t have the discipline.

“He was at his best in Juventus where he had a bit more freedom and was probably surrounded by more men and characters, they had better quality players.

“Even tonight, he leaves you frustrated. For all of the brilliant qualities going forward, I still think he lacks discipline defensively. That’s the key (to go to the next level). The top players do it week in, week out. Paul doesn’t do that.”

What else has been said? 

Former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira, who enjoyed some famous battles with Keane, echoed the ex-Republic of Ireland international's comments.

“I completely agree,” said Vieira. “When you look at his potential, what he can do in midfield, you expect more from him.

“If he played next to Roy he would maybe be a different player because he needs someone on his back putting him under pressure and being demanding of him.

“It is frustrating because he can give much more than what he is giving to the team.”

Pogba's overall record at Euro 2020

Pogba started all four of France's games at the Euros alongside Chelsea's N'Golo Kante in midfield, but his goal against Switzerland was the only time he managed to find the net.

The 28-year-old also provided a sublime assist for Karim Benzema to score his second goal in their 2-2 draw with Portugal, however, he will now head back to Manchester with more question marks hanging over his ability to deliver the goods on a consistent basis at both international and club level.

Further reading 

Eduardo Camavinga continues to spark talk of interest from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain but Rennes' sporting director, Florian Maurice, says no bids have been received from Old Trafford or Parc des Princes.

Highly-rated 18-year-old midfielder Camavinga has become one of the hottest properties in European football.

It is expected to be only a matter of time before a big-money transfer is put in place, especially as the youngster is approaching the final year of his current contract, but no formal offers have been put on the table as yet.

What has been said?

Maurice told TV Rennes as speculation continues to rage: "No offer was received for Eduardo Camavinga, neither from PSG nor from Manchester United.

"We remain calm about his situation. I know he doesn’t want to go [on a] free."

Will Camavinga be on the move?

Rennes are reported to be demanding at least €50 million (£43m/$60m) from any deal involving Camavinga.

Given the potential he possesses, elite clubs across the continent should have no problem finding those funds.

The teenager's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has already suggested that a scramble for a much sought-after signature will be sparked this summer.

He told SNTV: "Believe me we have a lot of offers for this year, a lot of offers, and good ones.

"I mean top, top clubs. We don’t want to rush. There is the right time to move on and playing games is the most important thing at his age.

"Playing in a good club is nice for him. It might be this year, or he wants to have another year.

"He has got to talk to his family, his father. We will all sit down and decide. We will talk to Rennes as well and decide. There is no rush for him."

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs striker Samir Nurkovic has revealed he has decided to stay at the club owing to its stature.

Prior to joining Amakhosi, the Serbian had played for nine teams but had never stayed for two seasons.

However, he has done so at the South African side, and is keen to extend his stay even further, and has explained the reason behind his decision to stay at Chiefs.

"The other clubs I played for before were not big like Chiefs," Nurkovich told Sowetan.

"When I came here, I was so overwhelmed and excited to play in front of amazing fans. To play in front of 90,000 fans was an amazing experience.

"I am so happy to be part of such a big club. In July it will be two years since I arrived here and I am really enjoying every moment here in South Africa. Even lifestyle-wise, I like it here."

The 29-year-old missed a big part of the concluded season owing to injuries. He has, however, set his sight on helping the team in the new campaign.

"Personally, this season hasn’t gone well for me. I missed a lot of games at the start of the season because of that injury [that made me undergo a groin surgery before the season started]," Nurkovic, who is commonly referred to as Kokota Piano, continued. 

"I think I missed 15 games. The injury made it hard for me to reach the form of last season again but I am working very hard. Hopefully, next season I will rediscover my old form."

The attacker has further insisted Amakhosi always come first and hopes to inspire them to achieve greater heights.

"I put the team first, that’s very important. I don’t really think about winning individual awards," the lanky forward added.

"Yes, I want to score more goals but challenging for the top-scorer award isn’t important."

Chiefs defied the odds to eliminate Morrocan outfit Wydad Casablanca from the Caf Champions League semi-finals to set up a date with defending champions Al Ahly, who eliminated Esperance.

The final will be played on July 17 in Morocco.

Old foes England and Germany lock horns in a Euro 2020 round of 16 clash at the Wembley Stadium in London, England on Tuesday evening.

From 'ghost goals' in 1966 and 2010 World Cups to England's dramatic penalty shootout exit in the 1996 Euro, the teams share a long and bitter rivalry in international football.

The most recent meeting at an international tournament was in the 2010 World Cup round of 16. England consisting of stars like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney were up against a young and energetic German side.

England were very close to restoring parity after going down by two goals when Frank Lampard's long-range effort from the edge of the penalty box hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced over the goal line before coming back to Manuel Neuer. 

While the replays suggested that the ball clearly crossed the goal line, the linesman denied the goal.

What happened in the World Cup 2010 round of 16 clash?

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski had handed Germany a 2-0 lead within the first 30 minutes but Matthew Upson soon pulled one back for the Three Lions. Lampard then won a ball on the edge of the box and hit a first-time attempt on goal which dipped over Neuer, hit the crossbar, bounced inside the goal and then popped back out. However, the linesman was oblivious to the fact that the ball had initially went inside before coming out.

The goal could have brought England back into the game but eventually, Germany scored two more goals in the second half to clinch the tie 4-1.

After the match, Neuer, who is currently leading the German national side at the Euro 2020, had admitted to 'fooling' the match officials after the tie. He said, "I tried not to react to the referee and just concentrate on what was happening. I realised it was over the line and I think the way I carried on so quickly fooled the referee into thinking it was not over."

"Then I saw it on the television in the doping control office and saw what actually happened. And, yes, it was over. It should have been a goal for England. Probably about two metres."

Gareth Southgate will seek redemption

Another key character in Tuesday's clash will be England manager Gareth Southgate who will look to make amends for his penalty shootout miss in the semifinal of Euro 1996 which knocked England out of the competition after losing to Germany.

The match had ended 1-1 in the where Alan Shearer and Stefan Kuntz found the back of the nets for England and Germany respectively.

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona has cut his ties with European football after swapping Belgian side Anderlecht for Saudi Arabia club Al-Tai FC.

While younger sibling Walter will be returning to the PSL, having previously played for Polokwane City before their relegation, elder brother Knowledge will not be coming back to South Africa, as many Kaizer Chiefs fans may have hoped for.

Instead, the 31-year-old will be starting a new chapter of his career in the Middle East, with newly-promoted Saudi club Al-Tai FC.

This was confirmed on the Anderlecht website on Monday evening:

"Knowledge Musona will play for Al-Tai FC next season. Musona (31) came over from Oostende in 2019.

"The last year and a half he was loaned to KAS Eupen, where he played 33 games and scored 9 times. Now he moves to Al-Tai FC, which just got promoted to the MBS League in Saudi Arabia.

"Sporting wishes Knowledge all the best for the rest of his career. Good luck, Knowledge," the statement concluded.

Musona was known as the Smiling Assassin during his Kaizer Chiefs days and was very popular with the Amakhosi faithful.

He has had two spells with the Soweto side, either side of a transfer to German outfit 1899 Hoffenheim.

In his first spell with Chiefs, between 2009 and 2011, he netted 19 goals in 49 matches. He returned for a short loan spell in the 2013/14 campaign and scored eight goals in 19 matches for the Glamour Boys.

After that he enjoyed his most successful spell in Europe: between 2015 and 2018 he scored 35 goals in 105 matches for Belgian side Oostende.

It was that form which earned him a move to one of Belgium’s biggest clubs, Anderlecht. But it never worked out for Musona at the club – in the end he played only eight games for the team, scoring just once.

After that he was loaned first to Lokeren and then to KAS Eupen.

For the Zimbabwe national team, Musona has played 37 matches and scored 22 goals.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Dino Ndlovu has sealed a transfer move to Turkish First League side side Kocaelispor.

The 31-year-old was officially unveiled on Tuesday after joining as a free agent having left China League One club Zhejiang Greentown in April.

“Our brother Dino [Ndlovu] has joined us and after 11 years, we are happy to bring our second transfer signing from abroad,” Kocaelispor confirmed the arrival of the South African forward on their official website.

“He left an important mark especially in Baku and Karabakh in Europe, and our friends in Karabakh told us how great a football player Dino is.

“We believe that our club will perform better this season with the arrival of Ndlovu, and we welcome him to feel at home in Turkey.”

On signing the player, Kocaelispor assistant coach Turgay Karsli said: “I have absolute faith in our Dino [Ndlovu], he loved Kocaeli very much, and Kocaeli loved him very much.

“Our city has embraced itself and he will have a good season with us. Our city will applaud Dino for many years. He will add some significant value to our team. Turkey and the world know Dino. I wish him success. This city is loyal. We will never forget our players who have achieved success in the past.”

On his part, Ndlovu has promised to do his best and help the team achieve some of their targets for the new season.

“First of all, I would like to thank those who contributed to the transfer,” Ndlovu told the same portal.

“I want to leave a mark in this historical and strong-supported club. That’s why I came. I'm definitely not here to rest, I'm here to succeed.”

Ndlovu further revealed he had received several offers to stay in China but he opted to sign for Kocaelispor.

“Serious contract offers came, especially from China. When I got an offer from Kocaelispor, I researched the club and especially fell in love with the fans," he continued.

“These were factors in my coming to Kocaelispor. I know Turkish football. There is a good and challenging league here. I believe when I come to my senses physically, I will be able to show all kinds of my abilities to Kocaelispor members.”

Ndlovu becomes the third player from South Africa to play in Turkey after the late John Moshoeu in Izmit, and Siphiwe Tshabalala, who had a stint with Erzurumspor.

Kocaelispor, who are based in Izmit, was founded in 1966 and played in the top flight between 1980-1988 and 1992-2003, and their best finish was in fourth position in the 1992-93 season.

Currently, they are featuring in the second level of the Turkish system and use the 34, 000-seater Kocaeli Stadium for their matches.

In a result which sent shockwaves across the world, World Cup winners France made an early exit from Euro 2020 as they went down 5-4 on penalties after the game was locked at 3-3 against Switzerland at Romania’s Arena Nationala.

Switzerland took the lead through Seferovic and missed a chance to take a 2-0 lead after Ricardo Rodriguez couldn’t convert from the spot. Thereafter, Karim Benzema scored a brace which was followed by Paul Pogba scoring a top goal. However, Switzerland scored twice in the final 10 minutes with Haris Seferovic and Mario Gavranovic getting on the score-sheet.

Kylian Mbappe was designated as the fifth penalty taker for France but the PSG striker saw his tame effort being saved by Yan Sommer. Although he notched an assist for Benzema’s second goal, his performance against Switzerland was sub-par. He had 95 per cent passing accuracy and also created some scoring opportunities but struggled to find his feet in front of goal.

The 22-year-old had six shots but none on target against the Swiss and no player in the current edition of Euro had more shots with none on target. In fact, in eight duels, he could only manage win two, as per Opta.

In 390 minutes of football in Euros, he only had three shots on target and created a mere seven chances. It must also be noted that he only completed 84 passes from the 96 attempted in the entire Euro 2020. From the 84 successful passes, only 19 were forward and 54 were sideways.

He lost possession on 62 occasions in four games, which is a staggering number.

Kylian Mbappe's performance in Euro 2020 in numbers

Stats Credit: Opta

Pele backs Mbappe to come back stronger

Legendary footballer Pele was amongst the first names to show support to Kylian Mbappe after France were knocked out of the Euros.

The Brazilian, who won the World Cup thrice, stated that Mbappe needs to move on from the penalty shootout disappointment as he has a bright future ahead.