Latest news with #womenfootball
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Ian Wright returns to ITV to cover Lionesses for first time since Eni Aluko row as she leaves role
IAN WRIGHT is returning to ITV to cover England women for the first time since his row with Eni Aluko. The Arsenal legend will be back on screens for the Lionesses' Euros semi showdown against Italy tonight. 1 Wright is yet to appear on TV during the tournament. But after England booked their place in the last four with a dramatic quarter-final win over Sweden on penalties, Wright has been drafted in by ITV chiefs. The Telegraph claims he will join Emma Hayes, Karen Carney and Laura Woods on the ground in Switzerland. And it will mark Wright's first England appearance since he was criticised by former footballer Aluko, who claimed he was blocking opportunities for women on TV. Her comments caused outrage, especially given that Wright has long been a vocal supporter of women's football. Aluko has since apologised, although it was not accepted by Wright. And while he will be on the box this evening, it's also reported that Aluko's time as a pundit with ITV has come to an end. She featured in several matches earlier in the tournament, with none of them involving England. But Aluko's role with ITV for their Euros coverage is over and she will not feature in any of the semi-final clashes, or the final itself. Earlier this month, she admitted she was 'wrong' over her comments about Wright. Quick-witted Roy Keane makes brutal three-word joke about Eni Aluko row that leaves Ian Wright in stitches Aluko also said she 'respects' his decision to not accept her apology. She said: "I think I could have done better in responding to the question I was asked, and just keeping it as a general issue. "I've always been the person, to be honest, to hold my hands up and say: 'Listen, I got that one wrong. That was, that was a mistake'. If I had been on the other end, I would probably have felt the same. "Apologies are acts of respect. Apologies are a show of humility. I did a lot to try to apologise to Ian privately. "So when you're seeing a public apology, it's actually the last resort. But it was a public forum that I spoke about him on, and I felt a public apology was important. "I respect that [Wright's refusal to accept her apology]. I respect how he feels. It's really about my apology. That's all I can do. "Then, whenever the person's ready to have a conversation, I'm ready to have a conversation. But I respect if it's not the right time, I totally respect that.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Disrespectful': players hit out at Conmebol over issues at Copa América Feminina
In Europe the summer has been marked by record attendances, a smooth operation and some outstanding performances at Euro 2025. But the picture from the 2025 Copa América Feminina, played in the South American winter, is less rosy with criticism from players, coaches, fans and media regarding the poor organisation, low attendances and questionable refereeing. With the fiasco of the Copa Libertadores Feminina last October, another tournament blighted by organisational problems, fresh in memory the hope was that Conmebol would raise their game for this year's Copa América in Ecuador. However, the tournament feels years behind its European rival and that is worrying in the extreme as the continent prepares to host its first Women's World Cup, in Brazil in 2027. The issues at the tournament reflect deeper structural problems within South American women's football. Major competitions often lack the technology now ever-present in the men's game, such as VAR from the group stage, and the main stadia in the country are not being used. Promotion for this competition has also been lacking, with tickets, for example, only going on sale on 4 July, just eight days before the tournament started. It is no surprise that there has been a low turnout. Brazilian legend Marta was one of those who spoke out about the limited investment in the tournament. 'It's been a long time since I played in a tournament here in South America, and we were saddened by these circumstances. We hope that Conmebol will change things and improve the situation,' she told Globo Esporte. Undeterred and while under fire for its handling of the Copa América, Conmebol announced a new international tournament: the Nations League. The draw will take place on 31 July in Paraguay and will run between 2025 and 2026. Two places at the World Cup are up for grabs, with another two available at the intercontinental playoffs. At least VAR will be used at all the games. That has not been the case in Ecuador, where the Chilean defender Fernanda Pinilla spoke up against the lack of it for the group stages. It will only be used in this week's semi-finals and the final. 'I think VAR can work for you or against you, but it gets us closer to fairness,' she said after the 2-1 defeat to Argentina. 'It would be really important that, in such a major tournament like the Copa América, it could be used. We still need to improve the tournament, the format, everything, and one of these improvements would be to have VAR from the group stage.' Pinilla was not the only one to criticise the tournament's organisation. Her teammate Yanara Aedo said: 'It's disrespectful that we don't have VAR. For us, as players, it's shameful to watch the [differences between] the Euros and the Copa América … In our last match [a 3-0 win over Peru], a legitimate goal was disallowed. It's good that the game was broadcast so people could see the two penalties we weren't given. I'm not saying Argentina didn't deserve to win but VAR would have changed the game for them and us, for every player. The organisers should get their act together because we're as much footballers as the men are.' Another heavily criticised issue was the warm-up arrangements before matches. Players were not allowed to warm up on the pitch; instead they had to get ready in small rooms in the stadium. 'While at the Euros they are breaking records in technology, we are warming up in a room with a maximum of 20 square metres, smelling of paint,' wrote the Brazilian and Manchester City forward Kerolin on her X account after scoring a hat-trick in the 6-0 win against Bolivia. The Brazilian women's national team, who have won the tournament nine times, have been at the forefront of the criticism over Conmebol's handling of the competition. They had to warm up in these small rooms before the games against Venezuela and Bolivia – together with their opponents. 'The warm-up issue really worries me,' the Brazil coach, Arthur Elias, said. 'We had a player who, at the end of the warm-up, felt what was maybe be a muscle issue. We tested her [and she played], but if we had needed to replace her it would have been with a player who hadn't warmed up because there wasn't enough space for all 20 players.' Conmebol claimed that, with all matches being played in just two stadia, the pitches would deteriorate if the warm-ups were done on them too. However, the governing body later announced that, after re-evaluating the condition of the pitches, players would be allowed 15 minutes of warm-up on the playing field. 'I'd like to thank Conmebol for being conscious enough to allow us to warm up for 15 minutes. It'll be really important. It's still not ideal, not even close, but it's a good first step, and may we always evolve,' Kerolin said. The situation is not good enough and Conmebol have to listen to the players when it comes to providing the best support for women's football. In just two years, the continent will host fans from around the world who expect to enjoy the women's game at its highest level. There is a lot to be done before then. Business end: The Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals take place this week, starting with a thrilling clash between Nigeria and South Africa, which is followed by Morocco v Ghana. Nigeria were dominant in their 5-0 quarter-final win over Zambia while hosts Morocco also looked in fine form during their 3-1 victory over Mali. The final takes place on Saturday. Anger in Uruguay: The Uruguayan FA's president, Ignacio Alonso, has been criticised by players after he posted on social media celebrating the growth of the women's game under his leadership since 2019, highlighting 'more players, more divisions, and broadcasts'. Just before Uruguay's participation in the Copa América, players refused to train, calling for improvements to the working conditions – including use of men's national team facilities, better equipment and increased daily allowances for national and international commitments. Defensor Sporting's Camila Friciello replied to the post saying: 'Alonso, women's football in Uruguay is completely amateur. We went from playing in stadiums to playing on training grounds. From games broadcast on TV to streaming. We play with terrible balls. There are no salaries. No medical assistance. (…) Two weeks ago, the national team didn't train because they didn't have proper conditions.' Faye Carruthers, Suzy Wrack, Sophie Downey and Tim Stillman review two epic Euro 2025 quarter-finals and preview the semis. Listen here. It could not be anything else: Ann-Katrin Berger's incredible save in the quarter-final against France (among other great stops in the last eight). The player of the match was instrumental in securing Germany's place in the semis with a stellar performance, including two penalties saved in the shootout. As ever I am grateful for all of the support from the genuine fans but I am taking this measure to protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team anyway I can. Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so that others won't have to deal with it' – England defender Jess Carter on taking a step back from social media after being racially abused online. Jonathan Liew on that Berger save in Germany's win over France. Sarina Wiegman has praised Jess Carter and says she is ready to face Italy. A tale of two strikers: before England v Italy at Euro 2025 we profile Alessia Russo and Cristiana Girelli. Here are Sophie Downey's latest power rankings before the semi-finals. Nikita Parris is set to join newly-promoted WSL side London City Lionesses from Brighton. And you can catch all the moves from the top six leagues in the world in our transfer interactive.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Who are the most expensive signings in Women's football?
after her world record transfer to Arsenal from Women's Super League rivals Liverpool was confirmed on Thursday. Smith's move to the Gunners marks a historic day in the women's game, and she now displaces Chelsea's Naomi Girma at the top of the transfer table. Seven of the previous ten top deals were completed in 2024, whilst Chelsea kicked off 2025 with two further additions to the list. Keira Walsh is in the top ten twice, whilst Chelsea and Barcelona are the biggest spenders with both sides featuring three times. HaytersTV go through the most expensive transfers in women's football… 1. Olivia Smith – Liverpool to Arsenal: 2025 (€1.34 million) The new record transfer, Smith only turned professional in 2023, before moving to Liverpool in 2024 for £200k from Portuguese side Sporting. But after seven goals in 20 Women's Super League games in her debut season, the Canadian international has made the switch to north London. 2. Naomi Girma – San Diego Wave to Chelsea: 2025 (€1.05 million) Girma joined Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January 2025, she was nominated for The Best FIFA Women's Player award in 2024 and was named in The Best FIFA Women's XI. The 25-year-old won Olympic gold under former Blues boss Emma Hayes in 2024. 3. Racheal Kundananji – Madrid CFF to Bay FC: 2024 (€805k) The Zambian international moved to Bay FC in February 2024 after scoring 35 goals in 46 appearances for Madrid CFF. However, the forward has struggled since moving to America, scoring only six times in 35 matches. 4. Barbra Banda – Shanghai Shengli to Orlando Pride: 2024 (€681k) Banda's move to Orlando Pride in 2024 has been nothing but a success with 25 goals in 39 matches after joining from Shanghai Shengli. Before her transfer, she was named African Women's Footballer of the Year and was part of the FIFPRO World XI. 5. Keira Walsh – Barcelona to Chelsea: 2025 (€550k) The first of her two appearances on this list. Walsh joined WSL Champions Chelsea at the end of the January transfer window in 2025 and was apart of the side that went on to lift the domestic treble during her first six months with the Blues. 6. Keira Walsh – Manchester City to Barcelona: 2022 (€470k) Walsh moved to Barcelona in 2022 after eight years at Manchester City. The England international joined shortly before the September deadline and spent two-and-a-half-years in Spain before leaving for Chelsea in January 2025. 7. Priscila – SC Internacional to Club America: 2024 (€448k) The 20-year-old signed for Mexican side Club America from Internacional in 2024 and scored 11 times in the 2024/25 season. She made her debut for Brazil in 2023, scoring once in her nine appearances. 8. Mayra Ramirez – Levante to Chelsea and Lena Oberdorf – Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich: 2024 (€450k) Two players joint on this list, Mayra Ramirez joined Chelsea in 2024 from Spanish side Levante, with the Colombian scoring 15 times in 46 matches. Lena Oberdorf made the switch from Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich in the same year, with the 23-year-old currently out injured, subsequently missing Euro 2025. 9. Kika Nazareth – Benfica to Barcelona and Ewa Pajor – Wolfsburg to Barcelona: 2024 (€400k) Kika Nazareth is one of Portugal's brightest stars, and joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2024. She can play in midfield or the frontline. Another player to join Barcelona last summer was Polish international Ewa Pajor, scoring 43 goals in 46 games.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Who are the most expensive signings in Women's football?
after her world record transfer to Arsenal from Women's Super League rivals Liverpool was confirmed on Thursday. Smith's move to the Gunners marks a historic day in the women's game, and she now displaces Chelsea's Naomi Girma at the top of the transfer table. Seven of the previous ten top deals were completed in 2024, whilst Chelsea kicked off 2025 with two further additions to the list. Keira Walsh is in the top ten twice, whilst Chelsea and Barcelona are the biggest spenders with both sides featuring three times. HaytersTV go through the most expensive transfers in women's football… 1. Olivia Smith – Liverpool to Arsenal: 2025 (€1.34 million) The new record transfer, Smith only turned professional in 2023, before moving to Liverpool in 2024 for £200k from Portuguese side Sporting. But after seven goals in 20 Women's Super League games in her debut season, the Canadian international has made the switch to north London. 2. Naomi Girma – San Diego Wave to Chelsea: 2025 (€1.05 million) Girma joined Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January 2025, she was nominated for The Best FIFA Women's Player award in 2024 and was named in The Best FIFA Women's XI. The 25-year-old won Olympic gold under former Blues boss Emma Hayes in 2024. 3. Racheal Kundananji – Madrid CFF to Bay FC: 2024 (€805k) The Zambian international moved to Bay FC in February 2024 after scoring 35 goals in 46 appearances for Madrid CFF. However, the forward has struggled since moving to America, scoring only six times in 35 matches. 4. Barbra Banda – Shanghai Shengli to Orlando Pride: 2024 (€681k) Banda's move to Orlando Pride in 2024 has been nothing but a success with 25 goals in 39 matches after joining from Shanghai Shengli. Before her transfer, she was named African Women's Footballer of the Year and was part of the FIFPRO World XI. 5. Keira Walsh – Barcelona to Chelsea: 2025 (€550k) The first of her two appearances on this list. Walsh joined WSL Champions Chelsea at the end of the January transfer window in 2025 and was apart of the side that went on to lift the domestic treble during her first six months with the Blues. 6. Keira Walsh – Manchester City to Barcelona: 2022 (€470k) Walsh moved to Barcelona in 2022 after eight years at Manchester City. The England international joined shortly before the September deadline and spent two-and-a-half-years in Spain before leaving for Chelsea in January 2025. 7. Priscila – SC Internacional to Club America: 2024 (€448k) The 20-year-old signed for Mexican side Club America from Internacional in 2024 and scored 11 times in the 2024/25 season. She made her debut for Brazil in 2023, scoring once in her nine appearances. 8. Mayra Ramirez – Levante to Chelsea and Lena Oberdorf – Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich: 2024 (€450k) Two players joint on this list, Mayra Ramirez joined Chelsea in 2024 from Spanish side Levante, with the Colombian scoring 15 times in 46 matches. Lena Oberdorf made the switch from Wolfsburg to Bayern Munich in the same year, with the 23-year-old currently out injured, subsequently missing Euro 2025. 9. Kika Nazareth – Benfica to Barcelona and Ewa Pajor – Wolfsburg to Barcelona: 2024 (€400k) Kika Nazareth is one of Portugal's brightest stars, and joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2024. She can play in midfield or the frontline. Another player to join Barcelona last summer was Polish international Ewa Pajor, scoring 43 goals in 46 games.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olivia Smith: Arsenal Women sign Liverpool striker in world-record £1m transfer
Arsenal Women have completed the world-record signing of Liverpool striker Olivia Smith. The move represents a historic moment as it is the first £1million transfer in the women's game. Smith's move beats the previous world record for a deal in women's football, which was Naomi Girma's £900,000 transfer from San Diego Wave to Chelsea in January. Liverpool had been reluctant to sell Smith, who only joined them last year from Sporting for a fee of £200,000. Arsenal's seven-figure bid, however, was too good to turn down and the 20-year-old has joined the Gunners on a long-term contract. 'It's a privilege and an honour to sign for Arsenal,' Smith told the official Arsenal website. 'It's my dream to compete for the biggest titles here in England and in Europe and I'm excited to get started and contribute to doing that here with Arsenal. 'The atmosphere the supporters create at Emirates Stadium is incredible and I can't wait to have that behind me now.' Smith spent time in the US college system before signing her first professional contract with Sporting in July 2023. The forward scored 16 goals in 28 appearances for Sporting during the 2023-24 season, which earned her a move to Liverpool. Smith managed nine goals in 25 appearances across all competitions last term and was voted the club's Player of the Season. The Canadian is her country's youngest-ever player after making her international debut at the age of 15 in 2009. Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers said: 'Olivia is an exciting young player and we believe she can make a big contribution here at Arsenal. 'We've been impressed by her mentality and character, excelling in two European leagues at such a young age. 'I know she has a level of ambition that matches our own and we're looking forward to working with her as she continues to grow at the club.'
