Category Uncategorized

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20 Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19 Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18 Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17 Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16 Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15 Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14 ​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13 Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12 Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11 Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

Southampton are taking significant steps in their search for a new manager after sacking Will Still last week.

The Saints, after an underwhelming start to the campaign, sit 19th in the Championship, just six points above the relegation zone, having won just three of their 14 league games so far.

Southampton’s turbulent season took another dramatic turn when the club parted ways with Still after just five months in charge. The 33-year-old’s brief tenure at St Mary’s came to an abrupt end following a 2-0 home defeat to Preston North End, their third consecutive loss and fifth straight game without a win at the time.

Still recorded a dismal average of just 0.92 points per game in the Championship, leaving Southampton chiefs with no choice but to pull the plug.

Championship

13

2

6

5

12

0.92

EFL Cup

3

2

0

1

6

2.00

Total

16

4

6

6

18

1.13

via Transfermarkt

It marked yet another chapter in Sport Republic’s chaotic ownership, with Still becoming the latest in a long line of coaches sacked during their regime.

Still arrived with growing pedigree after a few successful years in France and was once regularly linked with a Premier League move, but struggled to translate that success to English football.

The Belgian native was tasked with securing an immediate return to the Premier League following last season’s relegation, but instead left Southampton perilously close to a second consecutive drop that would represent an unthinkable disaster.

Now, the process to hire his successor has begun, and there are a few noteworthy candidates who are being mentioned by the media.

Under-21s boss Tonda Eckert has been appointed interim manager and immediately guided the team to a 2-1 victory at QPR, temporarily halting the rot. However, Southampton’s hierarchy are actively searching for a permanent replacement.

Reports suggest high-flying Coventry City boss Frank Lampard is an ambitious option for Southampton, with the Saints also weighing up a reunion for Russell Martin.

A number of other candidates are being assessed too, including Stoke City manager Mark Robins (talkSPORT), England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley, and Gary O’Neil.

In terms of the latter, Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath shared news earlier this week that O’Neil is a strong contender for the Southampton job, and there’s now been another update on the Englishman’s potential appointment.

Southampton 'looking to finalise' Gary O'Neil deal after making approach

As per TEAMtalk, O’Neil is emerging as the clear frontrunner to take charge.

The south coast club have now made an approach to O’Neil over their vacant position, with talks expected to intensify in the coming days as both parties “look to finalise an agreement”.

O’Neil is said to be in pole position to become Southampton’s new manager, with the club having admirers of his previous Premier League work.

Southampton’s search has apparently narrowed to three main candidates. Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick, who was most recently manager of Middlesbrough, remains in contention due to his strong reputation, while Martin is also still a candidate and would be open to discussions about returning to St Mary’s after his Rangers dismissal.

O’Neil is said to be “highly respected” in Premier League circles after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves (Miguel Delaney), even if his tenures did end in sour fashion, and he was briefly considered for the West Ham job recently.

The 42-year-old steered a hapless Bournemouth side clear of relegation in his first season with limited resources, and took charge of Wolves in very difficult circumstances after Julen Lopetegui’s sudden exit — briefly steadying the ship at Molineux.

His track record suggests that O’Neil could be an astute appointment by Sport Republic, and given his free agent status, Southampton won’t have to fork out a compensation fee.

O’Neil has also been called an “underrated” tactician.

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Most G+A under Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Player	G + A	Total
Mohamed Salah	39 + 26	65
Cody Gakpo	23 + 11	34
Dominik Szoboszlai	12 + 14	26
Luis Diaz	17 + 8	25
Alexis Mac Allister	8 + 8	16
Data via Transfermarkt

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare British record bid to sign £131m magician

Mohamed Salah may leave Liverpool in January after an extraordinary outburst at Elland Road.

By
Angus Sinclair

4 days ago

Newcastle United are far from perfect this season, but there is enough quality at Eddie Howe’s disposal for the manager to craft another knockout campaign.

While the Magpies have claimed seven points from nine in the Premier League, they are 12th in the standings; however, the congested nature of the campaign means fourth-place Chelsea only hold a five-point advantage.

Whether Newcastle consolidate a fine run of form over the winter months – as they did last year – remains to be seen, but Howe will take understandable solace in his side’s more polished and coherent recent performances after a tumultuous transfer window.

However, it feels like some outside aid is needed, and with midfield emerging as a priority position for technical director Ross Wilson, it’s no surprise that Elliot Anderson continues to be linked with a return home.

The latest on Elliot Anderson to Newcastle

We all know the story. Newcastle’s PSR problems. Selling Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to circumvent a ban. Shaving fringe quality instead of selling a superstar.

But the 23-year-old midfielder has grown into a force to be reckoned with, Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel going as far as to call him “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”.

This is a sentiment shared by Howe, who was candid in discussing why Newcastle sold their prized homegrown talent to a Premier League rival, and underlined his desire to win him back.

Anderson is now a sensation, though, and Premier League tax has been levied by the Tricky Trees, who are set to demand in excess of £100m for a player now being chased by Manchester City and Manchester United too.

Newcastle will try, but this is sure to prove an elusive signature to land.

It’s important that the St. James’ Park side learn from their past mistakes, though, and don’t part with their new version of the Three Lions star.

Newcastle have an even bigger talent than Anderson

He’s had a tough time of late in regard to injuries, but Lewis Hall’s emphatic return to the field at Newcastle has remind English football of the calibre of their exciting up-and-comer.

The 21-year-old has now started three Premier League games in a row for Newcastle, and already he has reshaped the tactical fluency that was sorely missing in the early stages of the campaign. He was instrumental in taking control against Tottenham, and unfortunate not to have claimed three points.

Hailed as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith, Hall has only just regained full fitness but is indeed reminding the Premier League of his elite quality.

Minutes played

90′

Touches

75

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

Accurate passes

36/43 (84%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

6

Tackles won

4/4

Interceptions

2

Clearances

4

Duels won

8/15

He’s so defensively sound while playing dynamically and always looking to develop Tottenham’s attacking patterns through intelligent build-up work and calculated movement.

This is further evidenced through FBref’s data. The platform reveal the England international to rank among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 7% for through balls, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles won per 90.

Journalist Harry De Cosemo claimed that the young full-back “makes such a difference” when starting from the opening, and no mistake there.

The vultures are bound to start circling before long, and while Newcastle may struggle to re-sign a homegrown talent in Anderson, they may have an even bigger talent in their ranks, and it is crucial that Howe is given the security to build around him.

Shades of Woltemade: Newcastle holding internal talks to sign £21m "magician"

This attacking star could improve Newcastle’s final third quality, just as Nick Woltemade has done of late.

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

Ahead of Manchester United's Premier League against an in-form Crystal Palace side on Sunday, head coach Ruben Amorim has publicly voiced his desire to bolster his squad with more wing-backs who can offer the same attacking punch as Amad Diallo. The 23-year-old is now the first-choice right wing-back at Old Trafford, although onookers have often criticised Amorim for limiting his potential by playing him out of position.

Amorim's Amad conundrum

Amad has quickly established himself as one of the cornerstones of both Amorim and United's project. The club considers him one of the pillars for the present and the future, while Amorim has been trying him as a right wing-back to incorporate both him and Bryan Mbeumo into his rigid 3-4-3 system. 

The results of this experiment have been mixed so far. There's no denying Amad's effervescent presence and attacking quality when he's operating in the final third. He has developed an effective partnership with Mbeumo down the right flank. However, teams have consistently attempted to take advantage of his defensive limitations.

Amorim, however, defended his decision to field Amad out of position last December, stating: "He's very good playing in that position [wing-back], but also playing between the lines because he has good control and he seems faster with the ball than without the ball. He is capable of playing in both positions and he can play in different systems. You need to to have good physicality [at wing-back]. Good physicality is not the size, but he can run. And that is a key point in that position. The technical characteristics are perfect for him."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAmorim stresses on the need for attack-minded wing-backs

United possess decent full-backs in Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, and Patrick Dorgu. However, they have failed to impose their authority individually when fielded in the 3-4-3 formation. The observation is simple: either Amorim ditches his principles to better integrate the profiles at his disposal, or United invest more into the market.

"We need time to improve the characteristics of the team. I've said that over the last year," Amorim told reporters on Friday when asked if he wants to sign more wing-backs. "To give an example, in the last game [against Everton], we should have an Amad with the right foot to put on the other side to play against 10 men.

"It is these characteristics that in time we will try to get to be a better team. If we are the perfect set-up to play in this way, not yet. But like any team, we need time to put the right characteristics into every position."

Glasner doing better with 3-4-3

While United's performances over the past few months will have relieved some of the pressure off Amorim's shoulders, the Portuguese coach has often been criticised for his stubbornness and tactical rigidity. He is using the 3-4-3 formation at United which brought him plenty of success at Sporting CP. The results, however, haven't been replicated at Old Trafford. 

Critics have placed the blame on Amorim for forcing his system onto the players he has, rather than tailoring his approach to maximise the resources and profiles available to him. While Amorim continues to place faith in his principles amid an inconsistent run, his counterpart Oliver Glasner has delivered two trophies in the past six months using a similar formation. Glasner has historically been a head coach adept at adapting to the players, having used multiple formations across different clubs he has been in charge of.

"We play in a different way," Amorim asserted. "You can understand that by data. It is hard to explain everything. They are a different club and they are doing things better than us. That is quite simple.

"You don't say that all 4-3-3 teams play in the same way. We play in a different moment, we defend in a different space, we attack in a different way. They are just doing things better than us."

For all the talk and pressure Amorim is faced with, Glasner believes there's a lot of promise in what he is doing at United.

"It's really funny talking about the 3-4-3 system, and I think United have the highest xG in the Premier League for scoring goals," Glasner said. "Their team has changed. Especially in attack. They needed more goals and they invested £200m, buying three players up front. Also, now they have players who can play very intense like [Bryan] Mbeumo.

"For me, it's impressive to see. We compared it [their last meeting] to where they are now. I think their work-rate is much higher than it was last year and then they get the reward."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesFinishing in European places will buy Amorim more time

United currently sit in 10th position on the Premier League table, just two points below Palace, their opponents on Sunday. A win against an in-form Palace side pushing for the top four will prove to be a huge morale booster for a United team that has failed to register a win in their previous three league games. 

However, the gap between the Red Devils and a place in the top four is just four points. The season still has a long way to go, and if United can finish within the top six come May, it will be considered a huge leap in the right direction. 

Laxman playing the last-action hero in Mohali, or a stunning New Zealand fightback in Abu Dhabi? Pick between two thrillers as we begin to identify The Greatest Test of the 21st century

Alagappan Muthu02-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2010 Mohali Test moves into the round of 16.

India’s one-wicket epic vs Australia – Mohali, 2010

Test cricket moves men. Even stoic ones like VVS Laxman, who once withstood the world’s best team for a full day’s play, but here lost his cool with just about seconds on the clock. A victory that had seemed so unlikely – India were eight down with 92 runs still to get – one that required him to strain so hard he hurt his back and needed a runner – was within their grasp. Laxman had added 81 with the No. 10 Ishant Sharma before Ben Hilfenhaus struck, leaving Australia one wicket from a 1-0 lead in the series. Then the No. 11 Pragyan Ojha randomly wandered out of his crease, opening himself up to being run out. Laxman was driven to a curse word. For the entire fourth innings, he had denied Australia. Strong, firm, unmoved, and yet scoring at an extremely brisk pace. Here he broke. India could have lost this game by five runs and it still would have been a classic. In the end, they won it by one wicket and Australia’s nemesis was unbeaten on 73 off 79 balls.

NZ’s four-run heist vs Pakistan – Abu Dhabi, 2018

No one knew when they were eating lunch on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi that the first domino had fallen. Pakistan went in 130 for 4 chasing 176 to win. They wouldn’t get there. They wouldn’t get there because a debutant left-arm spinner from New Zealand would bring them down like a house of cards.Ajaz Patel has spent his career doing unimaginable things – he’s picked up 10 wickets in an innings, he’s helped New Zealand beat India in India 3-0 – but this was where it all started. At 171 for 9, and with Azhar Ali still out there, Pakistan had hope. Then Kane Williamson remembered that he had a left-arm spinner in his ranks and that left-arm spinners have always troubled Azhar. It was a gamble – the kind that will get better with each retelling – because it worked. New Zealand began this Test in a way that made sense. Getting all out for 153 on a spinning pitch and giving up a first-innings lead of 74. Everything they did from that point on, however, made people wonder if what happened could even be real.

It’s been a horror show with the bat for CSK in IPL 2025, and the hat-trick of losses at Chepauk underscores their inability to match the competition

Deivarayan Muthu12-Apr-20252:05

Is this the worst CSK have ever looked in the IPL?

At 10.27pm on Friday, CSK’s fortress Chepauk crumbled in front of empty stands. For the first time in an IPL season, they had suffered three successive defeats at home. Parts of the stadium had begun to empty out by 9.20pm, when CSK were limited to 103 for 9, their lowest total in Chennai. Even CSK’s most beloved fans couldn’t watch the horror show anymore.After CSK had struggled to 158 for 5 in pursuit of 184 against Delhi Capitals (DC) last Saturday, their coach Stephen Fleming had said it was “tough to watch” the chase. On Friday, CSK’s batting plumbed such depths that it might have been unwatchable.They meandered to 31 for 2 in the powerplay. They faced 20 dots during the phase and even allowed Moeen Ali to get away with a wicket-maiden. According to ESPNcricinfo logs, CSK’s batters offered an aggressive response to just five of the 36 balls they faced during the powerplay. They didn’t have the middle-order firepower to play catch up.Related

Free-falling CSK meet high-flying LSG in clash of contrasts

'Smart' KKR trying to 'fill those boxes on the go' to stay in the race

Hussey: 'We're certainly not putting the white flag up just yet'

CSK's lowest totals: where does the collapse against KKR rank?

Stats – CSK's firsts of the worst in the IPL

This has been a recurring problem for CSK in IPL 2025. The average powerplay score this season is 57. For CSK, that average is 45, which, of course, is way off the pace.Neither Devon Conway nor Rachin Ravindra are power-hitters. They rely more on timing. Rahul Tripathi has looked a pale shadow of the powerplay dasher he had once been, never comfortable against pace or spin this IPL.”Our openers not the ones who will start slogging or look to hit across the line,” MS Dhoni said after CSK were decimated by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). “But what is also important is not to get desperate seeing the scoreboard. You need, maybe, one or two boundaries and run rate keeps on going. If you start looking for 60 in six overs with our line-up, it will be very difficult for us.”It’s important to get partnerships going, maybe look to capitalise in the middle and the later overs. That’s what our strength will be. But if we lose too many wickets, the middle order needs do their role differently and the slog has been delayed for quite a while.”When CSK won the IPL title in 2023, they had a similar top order with two accumulators, but the middle order dripped with power and versatility. Ambati Rayudu was a particularly strong presence in that middle order and brought with him the ability to go – and go hard – from the outset. Since Rayudu retired after winning the title in 2023, CSK haven’t filled that void.1:18

Should Dhoni have walked in before Impact Player Hooda?

They tried Daryl Mitchell in that role in 2024, but he didn’t produce the kind of output CSK and their fans might have been looking for. Then, in the 2024 mega auction, they perhaps missed a trick by not going harder for a proven middle-order batter in the league, especially with Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja’s finishing abilities on the wane. They took punts on Vijay Shankar and Deepak Hooda, who were not regulars for their franchises in IPL 2024, hoping they would have late-career revivals at CSK like Ajinkya Rahane had in the recent past.But that certainly hasn’t happened yet with Vijay or Hooda. The story might have been different for CSK this season had at least one among Vijay, Hooda and Tripathi come good. The story might have also been different had one of Conway and Ravindra been more consistent at the top. An injury to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been sidelined from the rest of this IPL, has compounded CSK’s batting troubles.The first year after a mega auction can be challenging for most teams, including five-time champions like CSK. Mike Hussey, CSK’s batting coach, acknowledged that some of their new recruits were still working their way into their roles.1:31

Bangar: CSK very dismal with the bat this season

“Yeah, it [teams needing time to settle after a mega auction] is a good point,” Hussey said. “Yeah, we’ve got some new players that have come to the franchise, so it does take a little bit of time for them to really fit in and feel like they belong. We’re trying to fast-track that as much as we can. And then it’s just getting to know them and getting to know their games and how they play their best cricket as well. So, we’re working very hard behind the scenes with those guys.”And the players, you know, you cannot fault their work ethic. You know, they’re doing the hard work, but unfortunately, it just hasn’t quite translated into performances just yet. But one of the real strengths of CSK over the years is we’ll identify the players that we’ve wanted and then we really back them. Even if things aren’t quite going to plan at the moment, we’ll back them and keep working hard with them and keep showing some faith and trust in them. And then hopefully that will be repaid in the long run.”As of now, CSK are nearing a point of no return this season, and even their fans are running out of patience – and from Chepauk – with their seemingly outdated style of batting.

Her 159-run partnership with Sune Luus against NZ is the highest for SA for any wicket in Women’s World Cups

Namooh Shah06-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits got to seven ODI hundreds in 41 innings•ICC/Getty Images

232 – The target chased down by South Africa on Monday is the highest by any team against New Zealand in the women’s World Cup, going past their own record – 229 in Hamilton in 2022.101 – The runs scored by Tazmin Brits, which makes her the third South Africa batter to score a hundred in the women’s World Cup. Linda Olivier in 2000 and Marizanne Kapp in 2013 are the other two.5 – Hundreds by Brits in 2025, the most by any player in a calendar year in women’s ODIs. She went past Smriti Mandhana, who scored four hundreds in 2024 and also has four so far in 2025.Brits has also scored four hundreds in her last five ODI innings.1 – Brits took 41 innings to score seven ODI hundreds. That is the fewest by a batter in women’s ODIs, bettering the record of Meg Lanning, who took 44 innings to get there.Brits took 87 balls to complete her seventh ODI hundred, which is the fastest by her, and the fourth-fastest by a South Africa batter in women’s ODIs.2 – Brits now has 749 runs in ODIs in 2025, the second-most for a South Africa batter in a calendar year. She is only behind Laura Wolvaardt, who scored 882 runs in 2022.159 – The partnership between Brits and Sune Luus for the second wicket, is the highest for South Africa for any wicket in women’s World Cups. They went past a long-standing record of 128* between Dane van Niekerk and Kapp in 2013.It is also South Africa’s third-highest partnership for the second wicket in women’s ODIs (where ball-by-ball data is available).1 – Lea Tahuhu dismissed Brits to take her 30th wicket in ODI World Cups and with that became the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in the tournament. Tahuhu went past Catherine Campbell, who has 29 wickets.350 – Suzie Bates became the first woman to play 350 international matches across formats. Harmanpreet Kaur is next on the list with 342 international caps.

Thomas Tuchel believes England's 2026 World Cup draw is "tough" and claimed that the group stage is "always the most difficult". The German coach, who will lead the Three Lions into a major tournament for the first time next summer, stressed that Group L – featuring Croatia, Ghana and Panama – provides no margin for complacency.

• England learn their WC group stage opponents

  England discovered their opponents during the draw ceremony in Washington D.C. on Friday, fronted by Rio Ferdinand and featuring sporting icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky. What emerged for Tuchel is a trio of opponents carrying very different histories and styles, but each demanding full respect. England’s first assignment will be a rematch with Croatia, the very nation that shattered their World Cup dreams in 2018 in that agonising semi-final defeat in Moscow. Luka Modric and Co. will form the most formidable obstacle in the group, but Tuchel stressed that his focus must go wider than the headline fixture.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  What did Tuchel make of the WC draw?

  Tuchel wants to emerge as group toppers but warned his troops that it will not be an easy task. "We have Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups, and we have Panama," he explained. "I don’t know much about Panama, but we will know everything about them when the tournament starts. For me personally, even in the Champions League, you have to focus on the group – the group is always the most difficult, and we want to escape, and we want to win the group. It’s a tough one."

  "No one should be underestimated," continued Tuchel. "Of course, Croatia is the standout name [and] the highest-ranked team from Pot 2 that we got into our group. It’s a difficult opener against Croatia. We take it from here."

  While Ghana may not carry the global star power of Croatia, Tuchel made clear that the country's football heritage cannot be taken for granted. "Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise, and has a big history in World Cup football," he said. "Also, Panama will try to make the most of the underdog role. No one can be underestimated – everyone deserves the fullest respect, and we will show that."

• Group stage is 'always difficult'

  Tuchel repeatedly returned to a theme that has defined his career in European competition, insisting the group stage can often be the most mentally demanding part of any tournament.

  "For me, I’ve only experienced group football in Champions League formats," said Tuchel. "The way to approach it was always to give the biggest respect and to put all the focus into winning the group. It always seems difficult, like our group now but we’re confident."

  England will begin the World Cup later than many others, after they were drawn in Group L, and Tuchel believes that provides both an advantage and a challenge.

  "We know now our opponents, we know that we will start late in the tournament which gives us a bit of time," he said. "I know that if you start late in the tournament, the schedule becomes more condensed. The focus will be totally on the group. It’s always a challenge with four ambitious teams together to come out on top. This is where all the energy will go."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  England’s projected KO Route: Senegal, Mexico and Spain loom large

  If England top Group L, their route through the early knockout rounds is already taking shape. A meeting with Senegal, likely to qualify in third place from Group I, could await in the round of 32. Survival at that stage would set up a daunting round-of-16 showdown against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City, a high-altitude cauldron that has historically challenged visiting teams. Should England navigate those obstacles, a potential meeting with Brazil in the quarter-final would be a blockbuster fixture. Then they might face Lionel Messi's Argentina in a Dallas semi-final, whereas in the final, they would probably lock horns against Spain, if La Roja make it to the World Cup final.

The snap he imparts produces large amounts of backspin – which makes the ball to do things other bowlers can’t make it do

Himanish Ganjoo21-Jul-2025Just 47 Tests and 89 ODIs to go along with 245 T20 games, and Jasprit Bumrah is already in the conversation to be one of the greatest all-format bowlers ever. He has displayed mastery over a wide oeuvre of skills across situations and conditions, with the red ball and white, especially after his return from injury in 2023.Much has been said about Bumrah’s unique action, heavy with hyperextension in his bowling arm, and his abnormal release point, about 50 centimetres closer to the batter than other top bowler’s releases. In all this, his wizardry with the seam is seldom discussed. Bumrah puts more revs on his backspinning pace-on deliveries than most fast bowlers do, and this has a multitude of effects. Yes, he bowls at a good pace, hits the good length like a machine, and plans and delivers his multiple variations almost perfectly. But the action his wrist imparts on the seam, almost imperceptibly, adds layers of difficulty on top of his extremely strong fundamentals.Because of his hyperextended front arm, Bumrah has to give the ball an almighty whip at release to keep his wrist upright and propel the ball forward. This whip bestows the ball with high backspin. This backspin causes the ball to feel an extra upward force before landing. This phenomenon, called the Magnus effect, is what causes dip when spinners bowl overspin. For seam-up deliveries, it happens in the opposite direction.