All posts by h716a5.icu

Erling Haaland is the current top striker in the Premier League, with the Man City superstar scoring for fun since moving to England.

The Norway international, should he remain in Manchester, could go on to break all kinds of records, but is he the best centre-forward the Premier League has seen since 1992? He’s got some catching up to do…

Ranking factors Appearances Goals scored Teams played for What others have said about them 20 best strikers in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Les Ferdinand QPR, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester, Bolton

One of the top strikers around when the Premier League was formed in 1992 was Les Ferdinand. A powerful target man who loved a duel in the air, he scored 20 goals in the first ever Premier League campaign for QPR and featured for five more clubs in the top flight.

Best known for his impressive short stint at Newcastle and six-year period with Tottenham, Ferdinand ended with an impressive 149 goals.

Appearances

349

Goals

149

Assists

34

19 Jamie Vardy Leicester

Considering Jamie Vardy has only played for Leicester City in the Premier League, his tally of 144 goals in just under 350 appearances is hugely impressive.

The rapid striker scored in 11 consecutive top-flight games back in 2015/16, helping the Foxes win the title under Claudio Ranieri in what is arguably the greatest underdog story in sporting history.

Appearances

340

Goals

144

Assists

47

Golden Boot

1

Titles

1

18 Teddy Sheringham Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Man Utd, Portsmouth, West Ham,

At the peak of his powers at the end of the 1990s was Teddy Sheringham, who is known best for his time at Tottenham and Man Utd.

Arguably a forward who went under the radar at the time, Sheringham was clinical in front of goal and appeared to get better with age, with Sir Alex Ferguson calling the striker “remarkable” during his time at Old Trafford.

Appearances

418

Goals

146

Assists

76

Golden Boot

1

Titles

3

17 Jermain Defoe West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth

Agile, quick and a clinical finisher were some of Jermain Defoe’s main attributes as a striker, with the Englishman enjoying a successful partnership with towering forward Peter Crouch during his career.

Defoe certainly knew where the back of the net was and scored goals in 19 different Premier League campaigns, with a highlight netting five against Wigan in 2009.

Appearances

496

Goals

162

Assists

33

16 Ian Wright Arsenal, West Ham

Despite starting his Premier League career late at the age of 29, Ian Wright made a big impact for Arsenal, hitting double figures in the first six top-flight campaigns.

Wright was even the Gunners’ all-time top scorer for a period of time, and despite being known for his punditry work today, his talents as a striker in the 1990s cannot be forgotten.

Appearances

213

Goals

113

Assists

22

15 Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal

Another Arsenal star in attack in the 1990s and 2000s was Dennis Bergkamp. The Dutch forward was versatile, intelligent and technically brilliant, enjoying a brilliant partnership with Thierry Henry at Highbury under Arsene Wenger.

Bergkamp may not have scored as many goals as others, but he was called a “dream” by Henry, “the best” Wright has played with and the definition of a “footballer” by Johan Cruyff and loved to create. (talkSPORT)

Appearances

315

Goals

87

Assists

94

Titles

3

14 Robbie Fowler Liverpool, Leeds, Man City, Blackburn

Robbie Fowler scored an impressive 162 goals during his Premier League career, and was best known for his time at Liverpool, with those at Anfield naming him ‘God’.

His goal record in the 1990s at Anfield was every two games, and despite netting 53 times in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons, never actually won a Golden Boot. In front of goal, Fowler was clinical, with Andy Cole calling the Englishman the “best finisher ever”.

Appearances

379

Goals

163

Assists

39

13 Ruud van Nistelrooy Man Utd

Sir Alex Ferguson called Ruud van Nistelrooy “the most prolific” striker he had at Man Utd, and his game to goal ratio certainly backs that up.

The Dutch striker arrived at Old Trafford having cored for fun in his native country, and he didn’t take long to adjust to life in the Premier League, scoring 23 league goals in his first campaign. It’s a shame Van Nistelrooy’s time in England only lasted five years, but he certainly won’t be forgotten.

Appearances

150

Goals

95

Assists

14

Golden Boot

1

Titles

1

12 Robin van Persie Arsenal, Man Utd

Another Dutch icon who spent longer in the Premier League was Robin van Persie, who made the controversial move from Arsenal to Man Utd in 2012.

It was a decision that worked out for Van Persie, who won the Premier League title with the Red Devils after missing out with Arsenal, and the forward had one of the best left foots the league has ever seen.

Known for scoring some outrageous goals, Van Persie’s effort against Aston Villa to help seal the title for Man Utd in 2013 was called “goal of the century” by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Appearances

280

Goals

144

Assists

53

Golden Boot

2

Titles

1

11 Luis Suarez Liverpool

Luis Suarez’s stay in England was short but sweet, with the Uruguayan becoming a Liverpool icon in such a brief period of time.

Capable of scoring out of nothing and winning games on his own, Suarez was at Anfield for just three-and-a-half seasons, with his 2013/14 campaign one of the greatest individual seasons in Premier League history.

He netted 31 goals in 33 games that year and almost took the Reds to a title before Barcelona came in and signed Suarez for big money.

Appearances

110

Goals

69

Assists

23

Golden Boot

1

Tottenham Hotspur are serious contenders to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League forward this summer, and his club are now willing to listen to offers, according to a report.

Spurs looking to strengthen in attack

Tottenham’s Premier League campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, but bizarrely, they still stand a good chance of making this season one to remember, given that Ange Postecoglou’s side are a two-legged tie with Bodo/Glimt away from the Europa League final.

That said, the underperformance in the Premier League suggests new additions will be needed this summer, and Spurs are particularly keen on strengthening in attacking areas, with AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo among the targets.

The Lilywhites are plotting a move for Semenyo to bolster their wide options, while the same report reveals they are also in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days.

Tottenham hold internal talks over hiring ex-Liverpool manager worth £39m

It would be quite the move.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 26, 2025

Semenyo and Cunha have shone in the Premier League this season, but Tottenham are also interested in signing a player who hasn’t been at his best, with a report from Caught Offside revealing they are now serious contenders to sign Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.

Man City are now willing to cash-in on Grealish this summer, and they will entertain offers of £38m – £43m, meaning they are set to make a huge £50m+ loss on the £100m they paid to sign him from Aston Villa in 2021.

Villa are among the rival suitors for their former player, while Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are also named as potential suitors, so there is no shortage of interest from within the Premier League.

"Unbelievable" Grealish needs fresh start

The Englishman has enjoyed a great deal of success during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and he played a major role in City’s treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up five goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

Perhaps most crucially, the former Villa man scored at the Emirates Stadium to help give his side a major advantage over Arsenal in the title race.

However, it would probably be a wise decision for the 29-year-old to move on this summer, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably, often being limited to appearances as a substitute.

The winger is clearly a talented player, having previously been lauded as “unbelievable” by members of the media, and his ability is underlined by the fact he ranks highly across some key attacking metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Progressive carries

7.55 (99th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

5.35 (90th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.90 (87th percentile)

At 29-years-old, Grealish needs to receive regular minutes on the pitch, so it would make sense to move on this summer, and a move to Tottenham would likely be of interest, should they manage to win the Europa League.

Celtic turn their attention away from the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they prepare to take on St. Johnstone in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup on Sunday.

The Hoops are hoping to win the SFA Cup in order to complete a domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons, after Ange Postecoglou did so in the 2022/23 campaign, as they have already won the League Cup.

Brendan Rodgers is aiming for a perfect domestic campaign despite losing Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer and Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January.

The Scottish giants sold their Japanese forward to the French side for a reported fee of £10m earlier this year, but they also managed to bring Jota back to Parkhead in return.

Celtic reportedly paid a fee of £8m to sign the Portuguese winger, 18 months on from selling him to Al Ittihad for £25m, which essentially meant that the club received Jota and £2m from Rennes, in a roundabout way, for Kyogo.

There may not be too many complaints about the way that things turned out for the Hoops in that window, because the forward has hit the ground running in his second spell at Parkhead.

Why Jota has been a good signing for Celtic

The former Benfica whiz had big expectations on his shoulders upon his arrival in Glasgow in the January transfer window, due to what he had produced in his two seasons under Ange Postecoglou.

As you can see in the graphic above, Jota delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in those two Premiership seasons under the Australian head coach, with 21 goals and 21 assists.

This meant that it was a reasonable expectation for Jota to come in and immediately bolster the squad with instant performances on the pitch when he arrived in January, and the forward has met those expectations.

Appearances (starts)

10 (6)

Goals

4

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

3

Assists

2

Dribbles completed

10

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese starlet has already contributed with seven goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in six Premiership starts this year.

This shows that he has provided the instant impact that was expected of him, and rightly so, given his proven quality at that level, which is why he has been an excellent signing for the Hoops.

It was a terrific opportunity for all parties involved to bring Jota back to a club where he knows he can be a star player, and the forward will hopefully continue to impress in the final third in the months and years to come in Glasgow.

Despite all of this, Celtic are now being linked with an interest in a young talent who could go on to become even better than the Portuguese sensation at Parkhead.

The latest on Celtic's interest in Premier League starlet

According to Football Insider, the Scottish giants are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign Crystal Palace youngster Jesse Derry in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that both Celtic and Rangers are interested in a swoop for the 17-year-old attacker, and that teams across Europe have also made contact with the player about a possible move this summer.

It states that teams have become aware of his potential availability after the England youth international turned down a professional contract to remain at Selhurst Park.

Football Insider adds that PSG, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid have all sent scouts to watch him in action, whilst there are also Premier League teams looking at the teen sensation.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The outlet reveals that Derry would be open to moving abroad, whether that is to one of those European sides or to Scotland, but it remains to be seen where he will end up next season.

There looks set to be plenty of competition for the 17-year-old talent’s signature this summer, and Celtic must push to win the race for his services, because he could become even better than Jota.

Why Jesse Derry could become even better than Jota

The current Hoops forward came up through the Benfica academy with a return of nine goals and eight assists in 47 matches for the B team, and four goals and eight assists in 17 games in the Youth League.

This shows that the Portuguese dynamo enjoyed an impressive, but not completely outstanding, career at youth level before coming to Scotland to shine under Postecoglou with roughly ten goals and ten assists per season in the Premiership.

Derry, son of former Palace and QPR defender Shaun, has shown incredible promise at youth level for Palace in recent years, to the point where he looks like an even better prospect than Jota did at Benfica.

Per Football Insider, the teenage ace has scored 20 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles at youth level in the current campaign, including nine goals in eight U18 Premier League matches.

As you can see in the clip of one of those 20 goals above, Derry is similar in style to Jota as a left-winger who likes to cut in on his right foot to find the far corner.

The Palace youngster, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has been “tearing things up” at youth level, also scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 17 matches in the 2023/24 campaign.

This means that the England U19 international has scored 31 goals in 44 games for Palace since the start of last season, which is a far superior youth record in comparison to what Jota did with Benfica’s academy before his move to Celtic, whilst playing in the same position.

This, therefore, suggests that the potential is there for Derry, who is reportedly being looked at by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, to become even better than Jota on the left wing by providing an incredible goalscoring threat by cutting in on his right foot.

Celtic must rue losing "exciting" gem who's now playing like a £100m star

Celtic lost the talented young attacker for a fee of just £230k and now he’s being compared to a £100m talent.

ByDan Emery Apr 15, 2025

That is why Celtic must push to sign the teenage starlet in the summer because he could be an exceptional long-term addition to the squad, as a winger with the qualities to emerge as a first-team star in the future if he can translate his academy form over to senior football to be even better than Jota.

Celtic find themselves on the cusp of another Scottish Premiership crown and could now be set to test the water for a talented winger who their manager is a huge fan of, per reports.

Celtic look to make summer mark with domestic clean sweep on the table

With Rangers lingering in the distance, Celtic are on course for a domestic treble and need a maximum of nine points to claim a fourth Scottish Premiership title in quick succession under Brendan Rodgers.

The Bhoys face St Johnstone this weekend before taking on Kilmarnock in their last pre-split fixture. They also have a chance to progress to the Scottish Cup final against the former as their dreams of a clean sweep remain in motion.

Looking ahead to the summer, Rodgers has hinted that Daizen Maeda’s Celtic progress could soften his hunt for a new striker, claiming the Japan international could be his number-one choice moving forward.

He stated: “I think he can be (the number-one striker). I think it’s one where to replace, to move him onto the side and take him out of the middle, with all due respect, it’s probably easier for us to get a top winger than it is a top striker.”

Daizen Maeda’s prolific campaign for Celtic – all competitions

Appearances

43

Goals

30

Assists

9

Backed up by the recent rumour mill, Celtic appear to be focusing on movement elsewhere and have identified Augsburg’s Elvis Rexhbecaj as a target to compete with Callum McGregor in the engine room.

On the same token, Liverpool’s Wataru Endo has been mentioned in dispatches at Parkhead. Now, true to his word, Rodgers is ready to revisit a move for a winger who he has had his eye on for a while to help strengthen the Hoops’ forward line.

Celtic ready to pounce for Royal Antwerp's Michel-Ange Balikwisha

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are ready to relaunch their interest in Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha after sending scouts to the Belgian side’s recent 5-1 defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise, where the DR Congo international registered an assist.

Valued at £5 million, Rodgers has had the 23-year-old on his radar for quite some time, even if fitness problems scuppered the potential of a January move to secure his signature.

Celtic gem was "the next Van Dijk" but Postecoglou sold him for just £1m

The former Celtic star was described as “the next Van Dijk” by his former manager.

ByDan Emery Apr 3, 2025

Frustratingly, injury problems have limited Balikwisha to eight appearances this campaign, though he has created five chances and won 11 duels on Jupiler Pro League duty.

Labelled “amazing” by analyst/writer Ben Mattinson, Rodgers has previously taken a personal interest in pushing a deal over the line for Balikwisha, so it won’t come as a major surprise to hear that he is back on Celtic’s recruitment department’s agenda.

Champions League qualifiers are likely to provoke a swift turnaround in Glasgow, and there is every chance the Congolese star could be one of several arrivals ahead of 2025/26.

Tottenham Hotspur have initiated contact over potentially appointing an “exciting” and “attacking” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, with speculation continuing to mount in regard to the Spurs boss’ long-term future.

Ange Postecoglou makes admission over Spurs job

The 59-year-old is said to be facing a last chance to maintain his position in the dugout for next season, following a lacklustre Premier League campaign where Spurs find themselves 14th in the league after 16 top-flight defeats in total.

Tottenham hold talks with "top" £40m player who Arsenal have contacted too

The north London duo have both reached out.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 10, 2025

Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media outlets report that the Europa League will be crucial in saving Postecoglou’s job at Spurs, and failure to perform in the competition will more than likely result in a change of manager.

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is also believed to be Tottenham’s top managerial target if they decide to go in a different direction to the ex-Celtic gaffer, while Fulham’s Marco Silva, Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi and Brentford’s Thomas Frank have all been linked in the last fortnight.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of the Lilywhites’ crucial Europa League quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, Postecoglou admitted he’s aware of some sentiments that he could be sacked regardless of their European campaign.

“I came to this club with a clear purpose of rejuvenating a squad that was coming to the end of a cycle,” said Postecoglou on his future.

“I just think we’re in that position that the good stuff we may do is going to be turned into a glass half full rhetoric and from that perspective I don’t think that can be a driver in what we want to do. The lads are really keen to bring success to the club.

“I don’t think you’re going to win that argument of convincing people, well I think [someone] wrote that even if we win it, I’m gone anyway.

“That’s not having a go at you, that’s just saying the general sentiment of people.”

Tottenham are also reportedly interested in Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who’s just guided the Eagles to an FA Cup semi-final and has impressed with the job he’s done at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham make contact over Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner

Last week, it was claimed that Tottenham are real admirers of Glasner, who Red Bull’s head of Global Soccer, Jurgen Klopp, really likes and is targeting for RB Leipzig.

Now, Sport Bild have another update on the Austrian and Spurs’ interest.

It is believed Tottenham have made contact for Glasner, and they’re seen as serious threats to Leipzig’s prospects of hiring the 50-year-old, considering they can tempt the Austrian with a higher wage packet.

With an approach apparently made, supporters will be intrigued to see Palace chairman Steve Parish’s glowing endorsement of Glasner, who lavished the head coach with praise following his appointment last year.

“He has an outstanding record, and we believe he is the right manager to take the club forward at this pivotal stage,” said Parish last season.

“Wherever Oliver has gone so far in his managerial journey, success has been quick to follow, and we believe his ambition, as well as his exciting and attacking approach is the perfect fit for getting the most from our talented young squad in the remainder of this Premier League season and beyond.”

Taking this into account, and his solid managerial candidate, he could be a strong outside candidate to rival the likes of Iraola and Silva.

While England, Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the knockouts, India, NZ, SL and Pakistan are fighting to join them there

Sampath Bandarupalli20-Oct-2025India – Matches 5, Wins 2, Points 4, NRR 0.526If India beat New Zealand on Thursday, they will make the semi-finals. If they lose to New Zealand, India have to hope New Zealand lose to England before they beat Bangladesh on Sunday.A washout against New Zealand can also be a good result for India, even if they lose to Bangladesh (and New Zealand lose to England), unless one of Sri Lanka and Pakistan don’t end up with six points.If both of India’s games in Navi Mumbai get washed out, they will qualify for the semi-finals, but only if England beat New Zealand (or if that game also gets washed out). If one of Sri Lanka and Pakistan are tied on six points with India in the aforementioned scenario, India will progress with a better net run-rate.New Zealand – Matches 5, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -0.245New Zealand’s next match against India will be an all-or-nothing game for them, and a loss will end their World Cup campaign. If New Zealand win their next two games, they will make the semi-finals.If New Zealand beat India but lose to England, they will have to hope Bangladesh beat India. Sri Lanka can also finish with six points if they beat Pakistan, while Pakistan can finish on six if they beat South Africa and Sri Lanka. But New Zealand have a better net run-rate right now.New Zealand will make the semi-finals irrespective of other results if they beat India and their match against England gets washed out. A washout against India will be good for New Zealand only if they defeat England, and India don’t bag two points against Bangladesh. New Zealand can progress to the semi-finals if both their remaining games are washed out, but only if none of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan get to six points.Chamari Athapaththu’s Sri Lanka are alive in the World Cup but only just•AFP/Getty ImagesSri Lanka – Matches 6, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -1.035To reach the semi-finals, Sri Lanka have to beat Pakistan and hope India lose both their remaining games. They will also need England to beat New Zealand on the last day of the league stage.Sri Lanka will be tied on six points with New Zealand in the above scenario, but will be behind on net run-rate if they don’t win big against Pakistan.Pakistan – Matches 5, Wins 0, Points 2, NRR -1.887Despite having no wins so far, Pakistan are still in the race for the semi-finals. They will have to win their last two games, against South Africa and Sri Lanka, by margins that will take their net run-rate ahead of New Zealand’s, and hope India lose both their remaining games. Pakistan will also need England to beat New Zealand.

The Canadian side, who might not even play in their home country next year, are just one away from a title – and that is no accident

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Thomas Muller jumped straight in on the banter. At least, that's what Brian White said. The German star, when he signed for Vancouver Whitecaps upon the conclusion of his contract at Bayern Munich, wasted no time in getting to know his teammates. There was no superiority, no gravitas, no sense that he, a World Cup winner who has beaten Lionel Messi seven times, was better – or even different – to them.

"He's that goofy guy. He's involved in the chats, involved in the banter and the team, and ever since he's come in, he's wasted no time getting involved. And I think you know that meant a lot to the group," White told GOAL. 

And it was at that moment, when Muller was just as down to earth as the rest of the soccer world assumed, that White knew that everything would be well in Vancouver. His arrival, on Aug. 6, came at a critical juncture for the Whitecaps. The Canadian side had enjoyed an excellent start to the season, but was fading slightly. And while LAFC strengthened, San Diego held steady, and Inter Miami picked up steam, Vancouver needed a lift. 

What might have been a destabilizing presence instead became an excellent asset, White said. 

Of course, it takes more than the arrival of a decorated superstar to take a team to the MLS Cup. Vancouver's journey here has been one of the stars aligning, the outsiders coming good, and showing that what might have been perceived as early-season overperformance was in fact the reality of a team ready to compete for everything. And now, that team is just one win away.

"It's been awesome to see just the club grow and gain this kind of national attention. So it would mean everything culminates with the MLS Cup," he said. 

Getty Images SportAn offseason of change

Most had written Vancouver off before the season. And it was fair to see why. Consider everything about the team, and they, on paper, shouldn't have been playoff contenders – never mind MLS Cup. It had been rumored for some time that ownership was looking for outside investment. And in December 2024, a week after watching the playoffs from home, the Whitecaps owners officially started the process of putting the club up for sale. 

At the same time, it became clear there was little apparent movement on the possibility of the team securing a new stadium. The Whitecaps do not own BC Place, where they play week in, week out, and their agreement is up at the end of the calendar year.

And then, there was the coach. Previous manager Vanni Sartini was let go in the fall, with the Whitecaps having no apparent replacement immediately lined up. Instead, they went without a manager until the spring, when they appointed Jasper Sorensen, a seasoned manager, but one who lacked MLS experience. It all seemed primed for disaster – or, at least, mediocrity. 

AdvertisementImagn'Constant strive for almost perfection'

But White didn't buy that. At least, that's what his play suggested. The American showed in 2024 that he has a fine scoring touch. And in 2025, that continued in style. He started hot pretty much from day one, and after bagging four against Austin FC on April 12, he topped the Golden Boot race. 

And he is the prototype here. White is 29 and spent nearly four full seasons plugging away for the New York Red Bulls without fully realizing his potential. To be sure, there were flashes of quality. But this year, under Sorensen, he found his touch. 

"He's raised the demand and the intensity and training the demands [even] after wins. Where can we improve? How can we get better? They even got like, a couple shots on goal. Like, why did that happen? You know, how can I think it's all been a constant strive for almost perfection, and I think that's really what's pushed this team to such heights this year," White said.

Pieced together, White pushed his way into the USMNT picture and was named an MLS All-Star. In a packed No. 9 pool for the national side, there was a real chance that he could make himself the go-to. But then, disaster struck. It started with a little tweak in the hamstring, but White was out for the best part of two months. Not until last week in the Western Conference finals did he fully return.

But there, of course, he found his best, scoring twice in a 3-1 romp.

"It felt really good. The end of the year has been frustrating with injuries, dealing with that, coming back and then getting hurt again. It's always frustrating as a player, when you just want to be on the field, helping the team. But to be involved in the LA game and then to help the team win against San Diego, it meant a lot," he said.

Getty Images SportSorensen, the new coach who has stayed the course

Part of the credit here has to go to Sorensen, of course. Until Muller arrived, Sorensen had, in effect, done a lot with a little. Sure, there are fully fledged internationals in Tristan Blackmon and Sebastian Berhalter. But Sorensen still had to make the most out of them. Berhalter, along with White, has made his impact known with 11 assists and four goals in MLS play, and now might be in Mauricio Pochettino's best XI. If not, he's certainly among the best central midfielders in the league.

"He puts in the work every day. And I think Sebastian has, has really, is really easy for him to pick up advice. He wants to get all the information he can get. And he also wants to, you know, so badly, to develop," Sorensen said.

But outside of that, the Whitecaps are lacking in star power – especially after designated player Ryan Gauld went down with a long-term injury. 

Yet Sorensen never panicked and trusted the system.

"There's always a constant demand for quality and discipline, and focus every training session, every game. So I think that's what's helped push us all year long to be as good as we had been," White said. 

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Getty Images SportTurbulence in the background – but fans remain loyal

Yet there’s an unavoidable truth behind this run: Vancouver’s future is uncertain. For all of Sorensen’s changes and Berhalter’s improvements, the club might not look anything like this in a few months. Ownership is actively exploring a sale. A new stadium lease remains unresolved. MLS has long pushed for a soccer-specific venue, and while nothing can be built by next season, commissioner Don Garber made it clear the clock is ticking.

“We’re in the business of delivering for the people that really, really want to have an MLS team,” Garber said in his State of the League address. “We need to wait and see if the cities and provinces want to do that. If they don’t, we’ll have to make some tough decisions.”

And yet, fan support has never been stronger. Winning helps, of course, but BC Place was sold out for the Western Conference semifinal against LAFC. Once a temporary stopgap while the Whitecaps waited to move out, the stadium now feels like a fortress.

Whether they stay there or not, Canadian soccer has wind at its back. The country will host the World Cup in just over six months. Under Jesse Marsch, the men’s national team finally looks revitalized. The momentum behind the sport across Canada is impossible to ignore.

“For Canadian soccer, it’s important that the teams here represent that part of Canada, that soccer culture. It’s a special, special city, and the way the whole city supported us throughout this year, it means a lot," White said.

The evidence is visible in Miami alone. This is technically a home game for Inter Miami, yet Vancouver fans have travelled in force. There will be pink shirts in the stands, but white and blue won’t be hard to spot either.

“It’s not natural that we have this kind of support. It’s not natural that this kind of hype is around the Whitecaps in the city, and we really feel that everybody’s behind us, and, you know, that’s what you want to create,” he said.

There is, of course, a certain irony. The biggest names driving Canadian soccer in MLS are American. Marsch, once considered for the USMNT job, is arguably the highest-profile American coach on the continent. Berhalter, White, and Blackmon are all U.S. internationals. For a club flying the Canadian flag, there’s a lot of Americanness at the core.

White sees that as an asset, not a contradiction.

“Seeing three American guys thrive on a Canadian team is a little bit different, and I think it’s been special. We’ve been each other’s biggest cheerleaders,” he said.

After finishing the series with an average of 151, Kohli said he wants to push his boundaries and see where he goes

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2025Virat Kohli feels his “whole game is coming together nicely” and is batting at a level he hasn’t in the last two-three years. Kohli stayed unbeaten on 65 in the ODI series decider against South Africa, which India sealed by a comfortable nine wickets with more than 10 overs to spare in a chase of 271.Kohli’s half-century came after he struck back-to-back centuries in the first two ODIs to finish the series with a tally of 302 and a staggering average of 151. Kohli now has four straight 50-plus scores after he had bagged two consecutive ducks in the ODIs in Australia, which was his first series since the IPL finished in June.”Honestly, just playing the way I have in this series has been the most satisfying thing for me,” Kohli said at the presentation. “I don’t think I’ve played at this level for a good two-three years now and I feel really free in my mind and just the whole game is coming together nicely, [it’s] very exciting to build on. And something that I’ve always tried to do as a player, maintain my own standards that I’ve set for myself and play at the level that I can make an impact for the team. I know when I can bat like that out there in the middle, then it of course helps the team in a big way because I can bat long, I can bat according to the situation and just being confident makes me feel like any situation out there in the middle, I have what it takes to handle that situation and bring it in favour of the team.”Related

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Kohli took home the Player-of-the-Series award for a record 22nd time in international cricket, and 12th in ODIs. He also smashed a record 12 sixes in the three games, easily his personal best in any ODI series, including World Cups. His series strike rate of 117.05 was also his best in an ODI series since January 2023.”Well, you know, when I play freely then I know I can hit sixes,” he said. “So I just wanted to have some fun because I was batting well, just take a bit more risk, just push my own boundaries and see where I go. There’s always levels you can unlock and you just need to take a risk.”Kohli further said that since he has been around for more than 15 years in international cricket, he has gone through “many phases where you doubt your ability” because as a batter it comes down to making one mistake. It is, he said, “a whole journey of learning”.”You tend to go into a space where you feel like maybe I’m not good enough, the nerves take over and that’s the beauty of sport, especially a skill like batting where you have to keep overcoming that fear every ball that you play and eventually play long innings and get into a zone again where you can start playing confidently. It’s a whole journey of learning and getting to know yourself better and becoming better as a person along the whole way. I can surely vouch for the fact that being a batsman and realising so much about myself, what kind of negative thinking patterns I have, where I can get into a zone where I don’t feel confident or when I’m feeling like myself, what are those small little details, it just improves you as a person in general and your whole temperament becomes much better and balanced over so many years. So, yes, I’ve had many phases where I’ve doubted myself and I haven’t been shy to admit that.”

The story of Anderson’s defiance and despair or Laxman and Harbhajan’s Chennai thriller? We identify The Greatest Test of the 21st century

Ashish Pant10-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2001 Chennai Test moves to the round of 16.The defiance and the despair – Leeds, 2014A dejected James Anderson on his haunches with the Sri Lanka players all around him delirious became the parting image of the Test and the two-match series. The scorecard of the Leeds Test will say Sri Lanka won by 100 runs, but it was hardly as straightforward. England came into the final day on 57 for 5 with the 350-target a fair distance away. Sri Lanka had the Test and series in sight, but the last five England batters clung on… for all but two balls of the day.It began with Joe Root and Moeen Ali putting up a defiant 67-run stand off 186 balls for the sixth wicket. The rain also made its presence felt to add to the drama before Root fell to bring Sri Lanka respite. Moeen, however, continued to keep Sri Lanka at bay with crucial partnerships, first with Matt Prior and then Chris Jordan.But, when Stuart Broad’s 24-ball naught ended with Herath trapping him in front, the end seemed nigh. That’s when Anderson stepped up. A blockathon followed and along with Mooen, he frustrated the Sri Lanka bowlers, adding 21 off 121 deliveries for the final wicket. Just when it seemed England had done enough for a draw, with two balls left in the day, Shaminda Eranga produced a vicious short-of-a-length ball that Anderson could only fend to backward square leg. Sri Lanka took the Test and series and England were only left with the what-ifs.Singh is King – Chennai, 2001It was fitting that a series which had kept the players and spectators on the edge of their seats throughout ended with a last-day thriller. After Matthew Hayden’s epic 203 had taken Australia to 391, India responded by racking up 501, with the top-order stepping up.Like he had in the first innings and the series on the whole, Harbhajan Singh ripped through the Australia middle order in the second innings. The visitors ended day four on 241 for 7, and a lead of 131. On the fifth morning, Harbhajan wasted little time and picked up the last three Australia wickets, bundling them out for 264. He returned second-innings figures of 8 for 84 and match figures of 15 for 127, finishing with 32 wickets for the series. His job was far from done.Chasing 155 on a fifth-day Chennai surface was never going to be easy. India lost opener Shiv Sunder Das early, but Sadagoppan Ramesh and VVS Laxman added a 58-run stand to give the hosts the advantage. But a middle-order collapse brought Australia right back. India, 101 for 2 at one stage, lost five wickets for 34 runs, which included Laxman falling for a defiant 66.But wicketkeeper-batter Sameer Dighe, on Test debut, held his cool as he took India closer. India lost Zaheer Khan just four runs shy of a win, but Harbhajan sliced a Glenn McGrath delivery past point to give India a famous Test and series win.

Former India great set to become the first capped male Indian player to play in the BBL with Thunder, Hurricanes, Sixers and Strikers all chasing him

Alex Malcolm and Sidharth Monga23-Sep-2025R Ashwin is set to become the first capped male India player to play in the BBL with four clubs vying for his services to play in the latter stages of the upcoming season.It is understood that Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers are the four teams chasing Ashwin’s signature in what is set to be a major coup for the BBL. Thunder and Hurricanes appear to be the frontrunners for the India great with a deal likely to be finalised later this week.No internationally capped India male player has played in the BBL previously, but Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year has opened the door for him to play franchise cricket overseas for the first time.Related

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Only retired Indian players are allowed by the BCCI to participate in overseas T20 leagues. Earlier this year, Dinesh Karthik played for Paarl Royals in the SA20. In 2023, Ambati Rayudu turned up to play for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, and then in January 2024 with MI Emirates in the ILT20. Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan featured for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Two years ago, Suresh Raina was part of Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10.Ashwin has already committed to the first-ever ILT20 auction in the UAE, which will take place next Tuesday. If bought, he will play out the ILT20, which has changed dates for the upcoming season and will now run from December 2 until January 4.The BBL begins on December 14, and the home-and-away part of the season runs until January 18. The finals will be held between January 20 and 25. It means Ashwin will be available for three-four games at the end of the season for one of those teams, plus finals should the team he signs with qualify. ESPNcricinfo understands that his deal will also include the BBL for the 2026-27 season.BBL clubs can only play three overseas players in their XI. Each of the clubs has already locked three players in via the league’s pre-signing rules and the June overseas draft. Clubs can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, meaning they can have up to seven on their list, but only three can play at any one time. Also, if any of the teams release an international player for SA20, Ashwin could fit in as a replacement for him.The league rules state that replacement overseas players have to nominate themselves for the draft, which Ashwin did not as he had not retired from IPL cricket at the time. But there is an exemption for overseas players to be allowed to play in the BBL if their circumstances have changed. Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill was previously signed by Melbourne Renegades in 2022-23 after retiring from international cricket despite missing the inaugural BBL overseas draft. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to play for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL after being cleared by the ECB, having initially been ruled out of nominating for the draft due to injury.The club that signs Ashwin will still have to fit his salary inside their overall purse, much of which will already have been allocated for most squads, but there will likely be an additional marketing agreement with Cricket Australia that will not count towards the salary cap for the team that lands him.Teams can also go over the cap by 5% in a particular year with approval from the league’s technical committee, provided that it is offset over a three-year period.