'Let's go and exceed expectations' - fans on Palmeiras win
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The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
'There is no one like him': what Martín Zubimendi will bring Arsenal
The way Martín Zubimendi remembers it, the day he was given the chance to be a ballboy for Real Sociedad against Manchester United he was more nervous than when he had to play. Standing at the side of the pitch, he found himself transfixed, the game flying by. So transfixed, in fact, that he forgot it was his job to pass the ball to the players and at one point Claudio Bravo, in goal that night at Anoeta, had to come over and take it off him because he was standing there watching. It was the first time it had happened to him; it would also be the last. If there is anything that defines Arsenal's new midfielder, it is that he is so calm, so in control. 'He oozes assuredness from every pore,' says the Spain coach, Luis de la Fuente. 'He doesn't get nervous walking a tightrope with no safety net.' When he's out there, games don't just go by; they usually go where he wants them to. And as for passes, what he forgot to do that night defines him now: there were 1,752 of them in La Liga last season. No midfielder outside Real Madrid or Barcelona played more. Raised in the San Sebastián neighbourhood of Gros, where he has walked his dog daily, quietly heading across the beach or up to Elía which looks out over the bay, Zubimendi was Gipuzkoa chess champion at under-12 level. It fits the way he plays football, which he did even better: thoughtful, strategic, the whole picture. 'Martín is a player who will bring us enormous quality and footballing intelligence; he has all the qualities to be a key player for us,' Mikel Arteta said. Like Arteta, his coach now, Zubimendi played at local club Antiguoko, an extraordinary success story when it comes to football development in the city, before joining Real Sociedad at 12 and making his first team debut eight years later. Last year, his coach Imanol Alguacil said: 'There is no one like him.' Which isn't, in truth, what most people say. Ask anybody about Zubimendi and one name comes up every time, sometimes two. There is Sergio Busquets, who Zubimendi once joked had done a lot of damage to central midfielders, setting new standards, new demands, forcing them to do things they had never done before. And then, inevitably, there is Xabi Alonso who he says 'must get bored of hearing me talk about him'. Alonso too is from Guipuzkoa and began at Antiguoko before joining Real Sociedad. They play in the same position, with the same style, have the same agent, and listening to Zubimendi explain his craft, even sound the same. Alonso has been Zubimendi's coach at Real Sociedad's B team, taking it upon himself to teach him, bringing out the player he could see inside. Even after Zubimendi's promotion to the first team, Alonso would stop him at the Zubieta training ground and go through the game with him, offering advice. As for being tired of Zubimendi talking about him, forget it. The admiration is mutual, the values shared. This summer, Zubimendi appeared a perfect signing for Real Madrid. Alonso, Zubimendi says, led without it ever being for show; 'Martín,' Alonso says, 'thinks more about his teammates than himself. He has that ability to generate play, make those around him better, organise. He understands the next step before the ball gets to him.' He also understands that is not all there is to the game. Not least because he has been told it. He has talked about needing to see beyond the short pass, learning to shift the length of his deliveries, and there is a dynamism about his play that Alonso And Busquets didn't have. There's also an ability to do the more traditional duties of a defensive midfielder. Only four defenders in Spain made more tackles than he did last season. If there is one thing that Alguacil is obsessed with it is the intensity with which he thinks the game should be played, the determination to compete and put the boot in if needs be. Zubimendi reckons he might have been the player who most had the manager on his back. 'Imanol asks me to talk more, to be more aggressive,' he said. 'Your role is to be constantly helping everyone and talking is part of that. That and the challenges.' Zubimendi is naturally quiet, made in the Gipuzkoan mould. Talk to him and he's engaging, warm company, the analysis impressive, but there is no show. Everyone in San Sebastián knows him; outside, it is tempting to suggest, too few do. Or at least that, without a lobby to champion him, without any desire to demand the spotlight, he has not always had the recognition his performances deserved. In fact, when Rodri went off injured in the final of Euro 2024, to be replaced by Zubimendi, it wasn't only the England fans thinking this was their chance. Up in the directors' box in Berlin, where the presidents of the regional federations were sat, one of the Basque representatives heard the muttering from the row behind: Rodri going off was a disaster, they were screwed now, Spain were going to lose. The way he recalls it, he turned round and had a go, saying that anyone would think they had never seen Zubimendi play and maybe they should watch someone outside Madrid and Barcelona for once. For a moment, it got a bit tense. By the end of the night Spain were European champions; Zubimendi had dominated the second half. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion If they had doubted, De la Fuente had not. 'Rodri is the best midfielder in the world,' he had said, 'but Zubimendi is the second best. Martín gives you everything you ask for and has a fantastic talent. He's a guarantee, totally reliable. He always plays calmly, unhurried and every decision is the right one.' Others had seen it too. In 2023, Xavi Hernández tried to persuade Barcelona to sign him. The following summer, Liverpool thought they had him; so did some Real Sociedad players. At the end of the Euros, Álex Remiro had rented a house in Ibiza and invited the teammates with whom he played for both Real Sociedad and Spain: Robin Le Normand, Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino, and Zubimendi. Oyarzabal went but, one by one, the problems appeared: Le Normand had to arrange his move to Atlético Madrid, Merino was about to go to Arsenal, and Zubimendi wasn't sure he was going to make it either, because there were things to sort out. Not you too, Remiro replied, not this year. Next year, then. Home called and Zubimendi stayed for now but 12 months on it is time. 'It's hard to find the right words to say goodbye; it hasn't been easy but the moment has come,' he wrote. 'Once I had made the decision to go, I was focused on Arsenal because I think their style is the right one for me. [The manager and I] have a lot in common. We come from the same city and played for the same teams.' Starting at Real Sociedad, where one night Zubimendi let the game pass by him but never again.
The Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘I don't know whether I'm going to be invited back' – Comedian given death stare after bodychecking Lewis Hamilton at F1
LEWIS HAMILTON was accused of giving a 'death stare' to comedian Jack Whitehall at the British Grand Prix. Whitehall accidentally bumped into Hamilton moments before Sunday's thrilling race, while attempting to mingle with the drivers on the grid walk. 4 4 4 Hamilton was walking behind George Russell and Lando Norris, on their way to start the rainy race. While Russell and eventual winner Norris passed through the cordoned off walkway without any problems, Hamilton was stopped in his tracks by Whitehall coming out in front of him. The comedian had been signalled to quickly pass through by a Mercedes team member, before almost body-checking the seven-time world champion. Speaking to Sky Sports, Whitehall said: "Just now when I was being invited to the grid I nearly body-checked Sir Lewis Hamilton. "I don't know whether I'm going to be invited back again, it was a very cold stare." The Bad Education star, who took his mum along to Silverstone, speculated that his icy reception may have been payback for past jokes about Hamilton. Whitehall added: "Maybe that was for the jokes I made at F1 75 as well and not just the body-check. "My mum is very excited to see Martin Brundle, and I brought her with me. She said that he is her hall pass, whatever that means...' Whitehall and Hamilton have met several times before, including on The Graham Norton Show seven years ago. Despite the pre-race chaos, it didn't affect Hamilton in the early stages at Silverstone. After qualifying fifth, the 40-year-old moved up a place after overtaking ex-teammate Russell on the opening lap. Max Verstappen initially kept his lead from the start, ahead of McLaren stars Oscar Piastri and Norris. The Aussie driver soon got ahead just as rain started to fall heavily, but was handed a 10-second penalty after stewards said he drove erratically during the restart after the first Safety Car. Piastri was penalised for slowing too much when preparing to lead the pack away following another Safety Car restart, while a spin for Verstappen moments later saw the Dutchman drop backwards. As conditions changed and drivers started to switch to slick tyres later on, Piastri served his penalty during his final pit stop and Norris took the lead. Nico Hulkenberg, 37, took his first podium finish at the 239th attempt - setting a new record for the longest time before finishing in the top three - after a strong race for Sauber. The German managed to keep Hamilton 's Ferrari at bay in the closing laps as Verstappen came home fifth. Meanwhile, Norris would later leave Silverstone with a cut on his face after a cameraman fell on top of him as a fence collapsed during his celebrations. 4
The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Malo Gusto backs Chelsea's ‘mental strength' in bid for Club World Cup glory
Malo Gusto has no doubt Chelsea have the mental strength to win the Club World Cup. The London side take on Fluminense for a place in the final in New York on Tuesday. Chelsea suffered a tough defeat to Flamengo in the group stage but have bounced back to reach the last four with hard-fought wins over Benfica and Palmeiras. French defender Gusto said: 'During this competition, our mental strength has been the most important thing. 'That's why we are in the semi-final, because we've shown that on the pitch during all the games that we have had. 'We know the weather is tough, the pitch too, and all the teams are very good. There are many things are around the game and we have to deal with it. 'That's why this competition is so hard to play and that's why we are so happy to get this far. 'I think if we can overcome these hurdles we can do anything and that's why we must believe in ourselves, give our best and see what goes after. We have a chance of the trophy and that's what we must try to do.' Chelsea will have Moises Caicedo available again at the MetLife Stadium after suspension and will hope Reece James and Romeo Lavia can overcome knocks. Liam Delap and Levi Colwill are banned after collecting their second bookings of the tournament against Palmeiras. Gusto forced the late winner in the 2-1 quarter-final triumph over Palmeiras when his cross took two deflections and found its way into the Brazilians' net. He said: 'It's important to do different things on the pitch. The coach asked me to do that and I tried to help the team as much as I can and I'm so happy to win through these games.'
